The Merciless Swan
by SLimac
Summary: Emma Swan earned her ship, The Merciless Swan, after a life on the streets which left her hardened and protected. When she offered a few tips to the new Captain Jones, Emma thought that would be the end of their interaction. Until she found his nearly destroyed ship and rescued the injured captain. But Jones isn't the same man she once knew. Can she find him again in the darkness?
1. Captain Jones

_A/N:_ So here's the start of my latest creation. I'm back a little earlier than expected but I got all moved in an am bored waiting for university to start again. I hope you all like this story as it is different than my other two AUs. But I thought it was time for a change and that this would be an interesting challenge. Let me know what you think! Thanks!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators Adam and Eddie.

The pub was bustling and alive with sailors, a stark contrast to the stale smell and dirty floors of the establishment. One would think a popular pub would have the money for soap but apparently not. The floors were sticky with spilt ale and the occasional blood splatter and the windows were so liberally streaked with salt spray that even had it been daytime they still would have allowed no light to pass through. Emma leaned back in her chair and watched her surroundings, tongue making a slow circuit across the front of her teeth in time with the finger she ran around the rim of her metal mug.

Several of her men were by the bar drinking their fill of rum. They were loud but harmless. She trusted them not to do anything that would upset her. Emma's first mate, David, along with the other members of her inner circle, sat around a table a few feet away from the small one she occupied. Every once and a while Robin, her second mate and primary navigator, would glance towards Emma, who sat alone, to make sure she was fine. She couldn't fault his protective side, even if she didn't need his protection. She was a better fighter, well at least on the water. On land there wasn't anyone better than Robin, his aim with his bow tried and true but on a ship, where that type of weapon didn't exactly fit in, Emma ruled.

Her ship, The Merciless Swan, a rather dramatic name that she had come up with in the heat of the moment, was docked in the little port town for the night so stocks could be replenished and their goods sold. The pay her crew had gotten from selling the bolts of silk and wine they'd taken from a smaller band of pirates earlier that week would keep the men happy for the foreseeable future. Even if the men were out on the water with no place to spend their gold a full pocket did much to bolster spirits. A night on dry land, especially after pay day, meant a night in the pub for her men which was why Emma had found herself tucked in the corner of The Hidden Treasure Chest, nursing a mug of ale while she kept watch. Because it wasn't her men she worried about.

The door to the pub was thrown open and a boisterous crew entered. Emma's hand slipped off the table and to her waist where her cutlass hung. This was what she worried about. It was a crew she was unfamiliar with which made her nervous. If she didn't know them then they might not know her. The crew had an odd look to them, a little too well groomed to have been pirating for very long. Even Emma's crew looked harder and she always made sure to give them what they needed. So a new crew. Probably commandeered and now coming to drink away the nervousness that came from being a pirate when it wasn't exactly an approved off job. The men crowded the bar, some speaking to her crew but no aggressive acts were exchanged. She let out a small sigh of relief.

From the corner of her eye Emma saw Robin and David both stand and turn to face her. Emma motioned for them to sit down again with a slow flick of her finger, not even turning from her observations. Emma understood why they were wary of this new crew and Emma's position by herself. Apart from the serving girls she was the only woman in the establishment. It wasn't exactly a safe place for women to venture alone but most women weren't armed the way Emma was. Emma had been at this long enough, hell she'd even been stolen from a place just like this years ago, to know what to prepare for.

Last to enter the bar was the captain, or at least Emma assumed that was his position. There was a cocky swagger to his movements but his movements slurred just enough to make her think that he was as new to rum and pirating as his men. Emma had seen many drink away the pain that turned them into outlaws. She knew the signs even though this man seemed to hide them well. The man was dressed all in black, lean body fit into leather pants and a cotton shirt with a leather vest buckled over it. Dark and shaggy hair and eyes the colour of shallow cold water gave him a handsome appearance. The new crew parted ways for him as he ambled to the bar and ordered rum.

David stood and moved behind the tables until he was positioned beside her in the shadows, leaning against the wall. The broadsword buckled around his hips tapped the wall as he settled himself. David was the only one of her men who fought with a broadsword instead of a cutlass and there was no one Emma would rather have with her in a fight than David.

"What do you think?" he asked in a hushed voice, watching the newcomers warily.

"What ship?" Emma asked in return, continuing to watch the way the captain interacted with his men. Despite the cockiness and confidence there was a timidness to his movements, almost as if he were second guessing his actions. Yes, that settled it; this man was not born into the pirating life. Of course, neither was Emma but she had a bit of a harder life on her side to cement her actions. She knew the world's underbelly well enough to navigate it on her own.

"The Jolly Roger. It came into port about an hour ago."

"Specs?"

"Old Navy Ship."_ Interesting._

"So we have a navy crew sailing under the crimson flag?"

"Looks like it." That could go one of two ways. Either they stick to the military regime they were used to and acted civilized or they tried too hard to be pirates and took on a ruthless persona, even unprovoked. "What do you want to do?" David asked, still standing behind her, casual, as if the two of them weren't actually having a serious conversation.

"Have the men back on the ship once their glasses are empty. I don't want them here if this new captain wishes to assert his dominance."

"And what are you going to do?" David asked, his voice now as wary as his eyes.

"I'm going to stick around for a little bit."

"I'll stay with you then."

Emma smiled at how quickly he was to offer his protection. She still wasn't used to that, even years after she'd taken over as captain. Too much of her life had been spent alone and at the mercy of those richer or stronger for it to be normal yet.

"I'll be fine, David, but if you insist on staying keep Whale with you and move back to your table. Send Robin with the crew to prepare for an early departure."

David nodded then walked back to his table. A few quick words were exchanged with Robin before her second mate pushed up from the table and moved towards the bar. Emma watched as he ducked around her crew, spreading the word. It wasn't long after that the men started trickling out of the pub in small groups. She'd have to dock at a livelier town next time to make it up to them for cutting their night short.

Emma took a sip of her warm ale as she watched the captain interact with his men. There was the respect built in from a well-established chain of command but it wasn't constant. It was as if they weren't sure how to address their captain now that he wasn't of military rank. Sometimes it was sir, other times captain. Whenever sir was used the captain would bark that it was_ Captain now_ and swallow another shot of rum.

She glanced towards David and Whale. They were playing some sort of dice game across the table. While Emma's head was turned the chair across from her was pulled out and someone thumped down. Emma whipped back around, hand going to her sword. She waved under the table for David to sit again when she saw who it was. She could handle this.

The captain of The Jolly Roger sat across from her. "Hello, love." There was a lilting quality to his voice that washed over Emma, the smoothness of it only aided by the rum that had turned his eyes glassy.

"I'm not your love," Emma replied calmly but firmly.

"Would you be if I gave you something shiny? A lady as lovely as you would look nice with some sparkle"

Emma leaned back in her chair and rolled her eyes. Emma saw right through the bravado. "Stop trying so hard, Captain. I'm not for hire."

The captain raised a brow, confused. "Will you go willingly then?"

Emma drew her knife and leaned across the table, pressing it to the skin under his jaw before he had time to react. "I told you to stop trying so hard," she hissed. She pulled back before his crew could see her threatening him and set her knife across her knees. She wanted to correct him, not start a brawl that she was clearly outnumbered in.

"Who are you?" the captain asked, eyes widening. The knife against his neck seemed to sober him up a bit. The man recognized the authoritative tone Emma used, had probably worked under one for years._ Good, that might keep him alive while he learned the ropes._

"Captain of The Merciless Swan."

"You're a captain?" he asked, incredulous.

"A damn good one." Emma couldn't keep the pride from her voice. She'd worked hard for what she had, started as low a spot as was possible for someone to find themselves in. It was a miracle that she'd kept herself alive, let alone had something in such a cruel world. She might not have been an expert when it came to sailing but she knew how to operate in the world of pirating. Sailing was why she had David and Robin.

"Do you have a name_, Captain?"_

"Captain will do just fine."

"You're a secretive one lass, what are you hiding?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she replied, evasively.

"Perhaps I would." There was a genuine sincerity to his statement that clashed with the cocky persona that was being projected. It caught her off guard. Who was this person? A pirate or a gentleman?

Emma glared off his line of questions and scrabbled for control of the conversation again. "So, you captain a navy vessel?"

"I see you know your ships. It's Captain Jones, by the way."

Emma_ did_ know her navy ships. Had David not told her about his ship and she'd discovered it herself she still would have known it was military. Because for a long time she wished the boat she was trapped on would be caught by a navy vessel and she would be freed. She'd spent hours in the middle of the ocean, scanning the horizon for a royal flag. She never got her wish though. Neal had known how to evade capture better than anyone.

"Not many keep their ships recognizable as a member of the royal navy, Jones."

"No time to paint it. Other things to worry about."

"Like what turned you to pirating?"

Pain flashed across Jones's eyes. Emma was worried she'd one too far and he'd either leave or attack her but he just sat there, looking momentarily defeated. Emma pushed what was left of her alcohol towards him and he swallowed it in a big gulp. When he looked back up at Emma the pained look was gone replaced with a harsh anger.

"A corrupt king," he answered bitterly. "Yourself?"

"Life," Emma answered vaguely. The captain chuckled.

"So life handed you a ship and a crew?" She didn't like his insinuating tone. As if being given her ship was the only way she could have gotten it, couldn't have earned it.

"No. I took it. Same as you."

"And the crew listened to you?"

"I worked my way up to it. Not everyone comes with a built in hierarchy from the military."

"I have my crew's respect," he answered haughtily.

"Truly?" she knew she was pressing too hard but this man intrigued her. An ex-navy man now a pirate? Stealing his boat from the kingdom which suggested the change had been during a voyage. The bravery, and debatable stupidity, to leave a corrupt ruler. It was all very_ interesting._

"I freed them from an immoral king's charge."

"But what happens when their gratitude wears off? What happens when you're disrespected?" Emma leaned across the table at Jones, face inches from his when she spoke. This was one of her favourite ways to judge a man's character. All her crew got asked the same thing before she allowed them on board for the first time. "Have you ever had a taste of the cat?"

Jones's eyes widened again, as if he hadn't expected Emma to imply the need to beat his crew. Emma knew from the way he'd shivered that he'd never been hit by the nine tailed whip, never had his skin torn open by the leather knots. _Lucky bastard._

"Have you?" he asked in return. Emma had to give him credit for not backing down from her proximity.

"Many times."

_"You've_ been beaten? That's hardly good form."

Emma let out a harsh laugh. "It's hard to find good form among pirates, especially when it comes to their women."

"There's honour among thieves," Jones replied, almost desperately.

"Obviously you need to spend more time in the dregs of the world." Emma pushed herself back from the table and stood, adjusting her cutlass so it sat more comfortably. "I'll give you some advice my naïve captain; outrun if you're outgunned, don't think you can't be replaced when the novelty of your charge wears off and stay the hell away from my ship."

Emma turned and left the table. As she moved by David and Whale's table they rose as well, falling into position behind her. She felt Captain Jones's blue eyes burning a hole in her back as she left, David shutting the door with finality after them.

Emma wasn't sure why she'd given the other Captain those tips. There was something about him that struck her. Jones seemed to be a good man with a belief in honour. Emma hoped that he would keep that persona, where the idea of beating someone was abhorrent and a moral code ruled, no matter what the laws dictated. That was a hard outlook to keep in the world he had chosen to exist in. Emma had fought very hard to find honour and respect without going dark. She just hoped Jones would find the same success.


	2. Truce

_A/N:_ Here's the second chapter. This story is taking me longer to write as I find it more of a challenge to write Killian as Captain Hook (which is coming up as I've got a few extra chapters written as class starts tomorrow and I want to be prepared) rather than how I've written him in the last two AUs I've put up. Hopefully I can do the character justice. Thanks for the reviews, follows and favourites! This story is only getting started. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma rubbed her eyes as she set her sword down on her bed in the captain's quarters of The Merciless Swan. It was a cozy room in Emma's opinion. A bed was tucked against the wall; the mattress piled with old quilts and knitted blankets that Emma had picked up along her journeys. Emma knew that she had far too many blankets for such a small bed but after so many years with none, well, she couldn't help herself. A large wooden desk was bolted to the floor on the other side of the room with a chair behind it where Emma worked when she wasn't on deck. The walls were lined with shelves; though not much was on them save for maps. Emma had this dream that someday she'd have them filled with mementos of a life well lived but that hadn't happened yet.

The Merciless Swan would leave port in the early morning when the tide was rising. The harbour itself was deep enough to float the ship at low tide, especially with no cargo in her hold, but there was a spot just outside the mouth of the harbour where the sea shallowed out. At dead low tide the ship would run aground and smash her keel against the rocky bottom. An hour and a half after the tide started to rise Emma would order the lines to be dropped and the sails unfurled. By the time the ship cleared the harbour there would be plenty of water to protect the ship.

Until then though, Emma was going to sleep. Emma quickly stripped from the heavy cotton pants and dark tunic she wore during the day and pulled on a worn cotton nightdress. Emma had had the dress since she was twelve, having stolen it off a clothing line at a boarding house she was sneaking past. At the time it had been the most luxurious thing she had ever touched, despite being patched along the neckline with a band of lace that didn't match and being slightly discoloured. Even after all the time that had passed Emma couldn't part with it. She had a habit of holding on to memories in the physical sense. She liked her memories to be where she could see them. It was why she still wore the swan medallion around her neck.

Emma set her cutlass on the floor when she sunk into the mattress. The walls of the ship creaked a lullaby around her, the footsteps of her crew on the deck above her providing the drumbeat to the well-loved song. The crew was louder than usual, rum making their boots heavy on the deck boards. They always drank too much at port and then were miserable the next morning. At least she'd ordered an early night so had saved them from an even worse hangover. They might not appreciate it now but they would come dawn.

The steps above her raced to the side of the ship. Emma watched the roof, as if she could see through it, waiting to see what had happened. Maybe one of the crew had fallen overboard in a drunken stupor. It had happened before and it would happen again. Someone else on deck would fish the sailor out of the ocean. With the door to her quarters closed she couldn't hear whatever the crew was saying about the excitement but Emma assumed it was probably insults at the sailor's clumsiness.

Emma jumped up when Robin opened the hatch and threw himself down the ladder and into her room. The way his eyes zeroed in on Emma beside the bed spoke of something more than a deckhand ending up in the harbour.

"What's going on?" Emma demanded. Loud voices echoed through the hatch. It wasn't her crew making the noise.

"Men, from the other ship, The Jolly Roger," Robin said quickly. "They're calling for Neal."

Emma cursed and grabbed her sword from the floor. Allies of Neal were the last thing she needed to deal with tonight. She cursed Captain Jones as well for letting his crew run wild like they were. Robin handed her the thick herringbone coat that had been draped over her desk chair. Emma slipped the grey coat over her arms, straightening the long tails out over her nightdress.

Emma led Robin up the ladder and the side of the ship. She squeezed herself between two deckhands and leaned over the edge to see the dock. A small band of men stood together on the pier, hands cupped around their mouths as they hollered, obviously ripe with drink.

"Hey, Captain Neal, come down and see us you fool," one yelled, squinting through the darkness at the ship. Obviously it was too dark for them to see the ship properly as she'd renamed it years ago. Or they were too drunk to care.

"Don't you remember your old friends?" another called, swaying a bit.

"Cassidy isn't here anymore," Emma shouted back.

"That's Captain Neal, you bar wench." Swords were drawn on the deck and pointed towards the hecklers. Emma allowed herself a small smile at how protective her crew was of her and her honour.

"Well its Captain Swan to you, you louse," Robin shouted back. Emma raised a hand to quiet him.

_"Cassidy_ no longer controls this boat. It is mine." Emma's voice rang out strong.

"You stole his boat?" The men drew their own swords and started moving towards the gangplank. Emma moved quickly through her crew to head the intruders off. She held her cutlass out in front of her, offering them the pointed end in warning. These men, these friends of_ Neal,_ would never step foot on her Swan.

"How dare you steal Captain Neal's boat?" The growling voice of the sailor did little to frighten her.

"Neal stole something from me first," Emma replied with a careless shrug. She'd learned long ago to use the art of bravado when dealing with situations like this. "It was only fair."

"I'll kill you for your insolence, girl."

"Board my ship if you dare," Emma hissed back, bracing herself on the gang plank as the men neared her. The alcohol the sailors had ingested made them brave. The fact that it was not just Emma on the ship didn't seem to matter to them. They just wanted Emma dead. Even if they did overpower Emma she had an entire crew behind her who would quickly avenge her death. These men wouldn't make it off her ship alive.

"Men," a harsh bark came from up the pier. The intruding sailors froze in their spots, halfway up the gangplank. Emma glanced towards the voice. Captain Jones was striding towards them, expression hard. No weapon had been drawn though his hand hovered over the sword sheath at his hip. "This is no longer Mr. Cassidy's ship. It would do you all well to remember that. Get back to my ship or be left at port."

The men glanced between Emma and Captain Jones, deciding whether avenging Neal would be worth losing their berth on The Jolly Roger for. After a few tense moments where Emma was sure the sailors would charge her, the men sheathed their swords and moved back down the gangplank grumbling and cursing about a woman stealing_ Captain Neal Cassidy's_ ship. Emma just rolled her eyes while she waited for them to move further from her ship.

Captain Jones walked to the bottom of the gangplank and looked up at her. "My apologies, Captain, for the rudeness. I've just acquired those men at the last port. They are a little unpredictable."

"Maybe you should teach them your navy manners," Emma suggested. "That would be_ good form._"

Captain Jones smiled at the use of his term. "Aye, maybe I should." The other captain glanced back towards his own ship to make sure his rowdy men had boarded. When he had finished watching them cross the deck of The Jolly Roger and drop into the hold he turned back to Emma. "I'll put the order out for them to stay away from your ship. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Captain," Emma replied. Captain Jones nodded at her firmly, respectfully, and Emma returned it.

Yes, she had been right about this new captain. He was a good man. Any other captain who didn't know Emma's reputation would have allowed the sailors to attack and then ransacked the ship for the spoils. They could steal the Swan too and sell it for a nice profit if their boat was better. But that hadn't happened. The men had been called off quickly and firmly._ And_ she had been granted an apology by the captain.

Emma jumped down of the gangplank and leaned in to David who had come to stand closest to her. "We will not touch The Jolly Roger if we cross her. No matter how depleted our stocks become."

David nodded. "Of course, Emma." David patted her shoulder as she moved past him, back to her quarters.

Emma spent a long time thinking about Captain Jones that night before she was able to find sleep. Emma hadn't spoken to many pirate captains. She avoided them unless she was taking a ship, just gleaning information on who was where and doing what from bar workers in the port towns. Trust was a hard thing to find for the type of people who had caused her to be put on a ship in the first place. Emma wasn't going to be fooled a second time. Emma only trusted pirates to try and kill her. That's all she planned to allow as well. But she'd let a type of truce exist between her ship and The Jolly Roger. She wouldn't touch him, just as Jones hadn't allowed his men to touch her.


	3. Repaying Debts

_A/N:_ I just wanted to _address_ something that's come up in the reviews about Jones's supposed naivety. First off, I didn't mean in the sense that he didn't know how to run a ship or anything like that. I'm sorry if it came across like that. I meant that he didn't really get the pirating life, a life among thieves. As you'll see in upcoming chapters I'm playing with his background a little bit so it isn't exactly cannon. Hopefully it will all make more sense as the story progresses. Also, the naivety comment was from Emma's perspective and Emma has had a much harder life in this story (or at least that's what we know right now). Thanks for all the support. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

**Two Years Later**

Emma sat on her bed in the Captain's Quarter's running a whetstone over the edge of her cutlass. David was beside her, leaning against the wooden wall, eyes closed, enjoying her company. David had left The Merciless Swan for a few months while he and Mary Margaret were married but he had returned at their last call to port. Even Mary Margaret had joined them, as the two newlyweds couldn't stand to be parted for more than a day. Mary Margaret was the only other woman on the ship, though she was down with Whale at that moment restocking the hospital bay.

David had been leery about taking his wife onto a pirate ship, even one like Emma's, but Emma wasn't. Emma had welcomed her with open arms. Mary Margaret might have all the mannerisms of a proper lady but she had spent time as a bandit before meeting David. She could hold her own in a fight and was nearly as good as Robin with a bow and arrow which meant that she was far superior to anyone else. Robin was a special case when it came to that type of weapon. As the First Mate's wife she could share his private quarters and be safe. Though the men knew what would happen if they did something to Mary Margaret. So they didn't even try.

The crew had been out to sea for three weeks though had only run one mission for a town trying to ship their daughters away before the local lord came to collect them and sell them to a set of warlords passing through the area. Emma had dropped the girls off in the realm's main city the prior week after setting up a boarding house for them by calling in a few favours. Emma knew how rough the streets could be for a young girl so she hadn't let them off her boat until she knew they had a place to sleep and a door that locked. Not all of Emma's missions involved stealing. She'd been known to run operations like the one with the young girls if asked. To Emma it was how she balanced out the red in her ledger from her other pirating activities.

The crew members were tired from such a long mission but it wouldn't be long before they docked for winter maintenance and had a town to explore for a month or so which kept the moral from dropping completely. Most had a place to stay in the little port town because stopping there was a yearly tradition. It's where Mary Margaret and David had a little cottage on the shore. Emma stayed on the ship during the break period rather than moving into another place. She'd worked too hard to get the ship to risk losing it just because she wanted to sleep on a larger bed.

"Seven years this month, right, Emma?" Robin asked from his spot behind Emma's desk where he'd been mapping out the final leg of their journey.

"Does that mean I get a cake?" Emma asked without looking up from her blade. David snorted beside her.

"Congratulations on the anniversary of overthrowing the man who kidnapped you and taking his vessel? Yeah, I think that's too much to put on a cake."

"What about congratulations for surviving?" David put in. Emma flicked the edge of her cutlass towards him in warning. David's tone had been too sincere. She could deal with Robin's quip because that's all it had been but David liked to treat her as if she were this total anomaly who never actually stood a chance at surviving but had done anyway. And maybe she hadn't stood a chance at one time in her life but that time was gone and it wasn't coming back. David nodded his understanding and shut his eyes again. Emma lowered her cutlass, feeling bad for her sharp response but she was scared. If she kept looking back things were going to catch up with her.

"You know what I'm not going to miss when we reach land?" Robin mused after a while, breaking the tension with his conversational tone. "This bloody cold weather. The spray practically freezes to your face."

"Warmth would be nice," David replied with a hum of contentment, as if he were imagining the warmth enveloping him right then.

"We have no mission planned for after the maintenance so perhaps we'll try and find somewhere southward to go. A little sun would be good for everyone."

"I'd love you forever for that," David replied.

"You already do. Offer me something with a bit more weight and we'll talk."

"I'll take the early shift at the helm tomorrow?" David suggested. Emma smiled at him, their earlier tension forgotten. That was their way. She loved David too much to stay mad at him for long.

"South it is then," Emma replied.

Above their heads there was a crashing on deck as boots raced across it. Emma was up before her crew had a chance to drop down into her cabin. She started up the ladder, Robin and David close behind, waving off the crew member that meant to jump down while they tried to climb up.

"What is it?" Emma asked, striding towards the helm. The raised position would give her a good vantage point and she could easily reach the wheel if they needed to evade the situation. She took the spy glass one of the deckhands offered her and held it up.

"Ships, engaged in battle, straight ahead. Would you like us to alter course?"

Emma narrowed in on the two ships, one practically dead in the water the way the main sail had been ripped and mast cracked. Both ships were military issue, one a large warship, the other a merchant ship though it flew a crimson flag. It was the pirate ship that was dead in the water. A tickling sensation started in the back of Emma's head. She knew the boat. She moved the spyglass around until she found the name._ The Jolly Roger._ Captain Jones's boat.

Emma had heard much about this captain since their last meeting. From what she could tell he was no longer the same man she'd asked about the cat. Now he was ruthless. Jones was quickly becoming one of the most feared pirates on the sea. The reputation his boat carried seemed to grow stronger and more fearsome each time Emma docked at port. Everyone spoke about him but they did so with fear. Emma couldn't figure out what had turned a man who had so intrigued her for his ideas surrounding good form and morals into such a nasty man. And such a stupid man for taking on a fully armed war ship. While he did have a good reputation for his skills Emma wasn't impressed by the way he blatantly risked his crew on whatever revenge he was set on achieving. The Jolly Roger should have run and now, because they hadn't, it was barely moving. The warship was going to kill them all.

Emma knew she should have ordered her boat to leave a wide berth around both ships, be safe and mind her own business. But there was no way Jones would make it out of the fight alive. If she ran she'd be sacrificing his whole crew- or at least that was her reasoning, not because she actually wanted to find out why the captain had turned so dark._ No. This had nothing to do with Jones._

"Shoot a warning shot at the warship and make sure they can see our name." The Merciless Swan had a reputation that was strong enough to scare off the navy ship, even one so heavily armed. It wasn't the biggest or the newest boat but its hull was made of oak as solid as steel, and as David had once told her, captained by someone even stronger. She'd brushed him off for being ridiculous but secretly enjoyed the reputation. It certainly helped when she needed something done.

"We're going after them?" David asked, incredulous.

"You know what the navy will do to pirates and there are a lot of men on that ship. I want to scare off the warship, at least give the pirates a shot at limping back to shore."

David scanned her face and Emma kept her expression firm. Those were her orders and they would be followed. David yelled out the order and Emma took hold of the wheel, steering them towards the other ships but at enough of an angle that the warship would see the name crossing the bow.

The crew scattered across the deck, filling their positions. An extra sail was unfurled from the foremast to increase the speed. The boom of the cannon went off, the force shaking the entire deck. Emma used to jump every time the weapon went off. It had taken her a good year to be able to have it fired without her heart stopping in shock. Emma kept her eyes on the warship, waiting to see if they'd loosen some more sail to escape.

"Fire another," Emma shouted as the wind whipped her blonde hair across her face. She shook it back before using a hand to tuck it under the back of her hat. "Robin, make sure they can taste it this time." Robin nodded and aimed the cannon himself this time. The cannon ball skittered about half a foot over the warships deck, landing in the water on the other side.

Emma had to grin when she watched men jump off the gunwale of The Jolly Roger and land on the warship. Boarding a boat was never good news for the losing vessel but at least the warship was retreating. The sail on the aft mast came down and billowed out as the wind caught it. The cannons it had been firing went quiet and it started to cut through the water, away from The Jolly Roger.

"Slow us down, lads," Emma called. She wanted the warship to be a ways away before she sidled up beside the pirate ship to make sure the pirates were actually still alive.

"What would you like, Emma?" Robin asked, moving towards her from the cannons. Emma glanced towards The Jolly Roger. The ship couldn't outrun hers but it could fire at them. She took the fact that they hadn't as a good sign.

"Prepare to board. Wellbeing check. Take nothing. We'll establish further orders when we see the shape of the crew but I suspect we'll just let them slowly make their way back."

"Shall I get Whale?"

Emma surveyed the damage of the other ship before turning back to Robin. "Yes, but tell Mary Margaret to stay below deck. I don't know what kind of men he has for a crew."

Robin nodded and hurried below deck to the sickbay. The doctor was back with Robin just as The Merciless Swan sidled up next to The Jolly Roger. Emma hopped up on the Gunwale of her ship and surveyed the carnage.

It was bad. The pirates had clearly been outnumbered. Injured men were stumbling around the deck, trying to right things and get the boat ready to sail again. There was a spot on the deck where blood had pooled, too much to have been any of the men still moving. Had someone died and the remaining crew already pushed him overboard?

"Permission to come aboard?" she shouted to the men. They turned towards her, some redrawing their weapons, some too weak to fight and observing her with a weary sigh. Emma held her hands up and away from her own weapon. "I mean no harm. We have a doctor and can lend aid. May we board?"

The men conferred among themselves for a moment, debating heavily. "Where's your captain?" Emma called when she realized that Jones wasn't among the group on deck. Had he brought his injured crew below deck?

"Permission granted," one of the sailors, a short man wearing a red hat, called back.

Emma waved for the members of the crew she knew David would have sectioned out to board. A wooden plank was thrown between the two ships' gunwales and the other sailors threw ropes to Emma's men so the two vessels could be secured together.

Emma stepped onto the plank and made her way over the few feet of space over the churning grey water onto The Jolly Roger. David, Whale and several deckhands followed her across. The man who had spoken for the group hurried over.

"I'm William Smee, first mate," he told her quickly, offering his hand.

"Captain Swan," Emma answered, scanning the ship. Whale had already started checking on the injured men on deck. Emma watched his sure movements as he divided the men to ones who would be fine in time and the ones he wanted back on The Merciless Swan for treatment.

Smee coughed to draw Emma's attention back to him. "If you wouldn't mind ordering your doctor to follow us, we have urgent need for him below deck."

Emma whistled to draw the attention of her crew. "Help the men set up their ship so they can be on their way. Whale, with me." Whale turned from where he'd been checking the depth of a cut on a man's side and hurried over to Emma. Emma gestured for Smee to start below deck before following him. David moved behind Whale, ending their train.

"This way please Sir- I mean Ma'am- I- uh-"

"Captain is fine," Emma said while David choked back a laugh. The group didn't go down to where Emma had suspected them to, or at least where the sickbay was located on her ship; instead dropping one by one into the captain's quarters.

As soon as Emma's feet hit the floor she was overwhelmed with the stench of blood and a moaning sound filled the air. Emma focused on the sailor who had been placed on the mattress tucked against the wall. She recognized the man immediately._ Jones._ Blood poured from his arm, soaking the mattress as if someone had poured a bucket of water on it. The injured arm was a mess where it sat on his chest; the hand hacked at by a sword so it barely hung to a mangled wrist. If Jones survived this mess he'd lose his hand, no two ways about it. Jones writhed against the mattress, mumbling incoherent words between the moans as he slipped into a delirious state. The whites of his eyes peaked out between half closed lids, tears of pain streaming from the open slits.

"What happened?" Emma demanded as Whale hurried to Jones's side.

"Captain ordered we attack the warship. There was no reason. We have stocks and just raided a merchant ship." Emma knew Smee wasn't being totally honest as she watched his eyes flit around the room. She could pick out a lie practically before it was even voiced. It was one of the reasons she'd ended up with the type of crew she had. There was something Smee was leaving out. Smee knew the reason for Jones's stupidity. Emma studied the dying captain._ Why risk everything, Jones?_

"Swan," Whale called, voice tight with strain. Emma stepped closer, eyes going to the pale face of the pirate captain. Jones had lost so much blood that his skin had taken on a transparent quality. Whale had tied a tourniquet fashioned from a strip of leather around Jones's wrist to try and stave off some of the bleeding. "We need to get him to land as fast as possible."

Emma knew what Whale was getting at. She turned to Smee without even questioning what, what she was about to do would mean. "Can you sail the ship, Smee, or should I leave you with one of my men?"

"Emma!" David cried in shock. She turned at the use of her first name. David never used it around strangers so she knew he wasn't in agreement.

"This ship will take ages to get to shore. The Swan won't take more than a day or two." Emma trusted her ship. She knew how fast it was. If she left Jones on his own ship, even with her doctor, she knew he would never see dry land. Jones would die within the next few days, and that was if he was a fighter.

"Emma, this man's a ruthless pirate. Jones isn't the kind of man you'd allow on your ship." David did have a point but the idea of the ruthless reputation clashed with the man she had met all that time ago, the man who had called off his drunken sailors from their revenge for Neal. It didn't feel right to leave him to die. She owed him a debt.

"I can sail The Jolly, Captain," Smee said, interrupting the staring contest she'd been having with David with a desperate voice. "Please, I know what they say about him, but somewhere in there is a good man."

Emma nodded to him. "Then we'll do this for the good man. It isn't as if Jones poses a threat in this state. Get your strongest men to bring him to our ship. David, prepare our crew for departure, post haste."

Emma raised a brow at David until her friend moved. She waited in the cabin with Whale while Smee fetched men to transport Jones. Jones had lost the volume of his moaning and his breathing was laboured. The wound needed to be closed off as soon as possible or even the tourniquet which had been tied too tight on purpose would do no good.

"Will I be burying a man at sea, Whale?" Emma asked quietly.

"I hope not, Emma. The man is strong. Hopefully he has the reserves to deal with this."

From the bed came a breathy_ Emma._ She jumped at the usage of her own name by an unfamiliar voice. Emma stiffened when she realized Jones had used her first name, slipping out from his lips in a state of delirium. No man except for those on her crew knew her first name and that was just because most of them had been on board when Neal was captain. The knowledge of her first name was too much power for a man to hold over her in Emma's opinion.

"I'll meet you at the sickbay," Emma told Whale quickly before climbing out of the blood soaked captain's quarters. She crossed the plank that still lay across the gunwales and jumped back onto her ship breathing a sigh of relief. This was her safe zone. Yes, The Swan might leak at times and creaked far too much to be comforting in a storm but the ship was her whole world.

Emma hurried below deck to go warn Mary Margaret of what was coming. Whale would need her friend's assistance if he was going to save the captain. An amputation was a messy business, especially out to sea and with only a bare hospital room and basic supplies to work with. David seemed to have beaten Emma too it though, as Mary Margaret was already busy laying out rolls of bandages and finding needles and thread by the time Emma entered. In the corner of the small room was a little metal stove, already turning red from the fire inside.

"Careful, that's getting hot. We don't need a fire on top of everything else," Emma cautioned, gesturing to the stove.

Mary Margaret glanced over her shoulder at the stove. "It's necessary," she said as she covered the pallet that served as a gurney with a clean sheet. Emma admired how calm Mary Margaret could be in this type of situation. The woman's belief that things would work out never wavered. That had been a mindset Emma didn't even know was possible before she had met David and his wife. "If the hand's as bad as David said it will need to be cauterized."

Emma gasped before she could stop herself. The idea of something happening like that to Jones was just as bad as the injury itself. Jones was in for a road of pain, if he even survived it. There was a crashing and then a lurch as the ship was freed from the Jolly Roger. Jones's moaning grew louder as the men carrying him into the sickbay got closer. At least if he was making noise he was still alive._ For now._

Whale was the first one in, already covered in blood. Two of Emma's deckhands carried a stretcher down the tiny hallway and into the sickbay. Jones's limp body was transferred to the bed before Whale dismissed the deckhands. Mary Margaret cut the black cotton shirt off Jones's body. It hung off the bed under him like a flag that had no wind to support it.

Whale drew a hot knife from the coals of the stove. The blade was glowing red from the heat. Emma turned away. She couldn't watch. She was helpless to heal the dying captain and it hurt her for reasons she didn't understand. But she could do something on this ship to help. She had to do something.

"I'm going to go get us moving. Keep me updated." With that she turned and ran up the hallway, not stopping until she'd taken over for Robin at the ship's helm.

Jones's screaming filled the air as the hot knife sealed his wound. Emma ordered every sail to be unfurled, her voice competing to be heard over the injured captain's. The sound of the rippling canvas drowned out the screams as the ship cut through the waves towards land.


	4. What A Gentleman Would Do

_A/N:_ To the guest reviewer who told me to tag my characters, thanks so much. I totally forgot to do that. I've got major writing block right now getting between two points in the plot so I'm glad I've got some extra written. I hope you enjoy this chapter and hopefully the writers block will go away soon so I can get back to writing full chapters again rather than just a few sentences. Thanks!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma's hands stayed grasped around the ship's wheel the entire night. Not long after Jones's screaming started it abruptly stopped, a nasty silence descending over the ship. Emma had spent the next hour, knuckles white against the wheel, unable to go see if the captain had died and unsure as to why she couldn't force herself to move. Eventually Whale surfaced and told her that Jones had passed out from the pain but the bleeding had stopped, at least the steady stream of it. Emma ordered the injured captain be brought to her quarters so he could rest on a proper mattress. She had no plan on going below deck anyways, not when it smelled so much like burning flesh.

The sun rose slowly, turning the sky amber and lighting up the deck. She was alone, having dismissed all her crew for the night because she had no intentions to stop working and wanted some peace. There was a trail of blood leading from the gang plank's spot to the hatch for below deck. Emma cringed and tried to look away. Tried. She stood at the helm as the ship cut through the waves. Every time her eyes scanned the horizon they flickered back to the trail of blood.

Emma sighed, secured the wheel, and moved away from the helm. She grabbed a bucket and lowered it over the side by the rope tied to its handle. She filled the bucket with seawater and pulled it back up, the water sloshing as she lifted it. Emma untied the bucket, grasped the handle and then grabbed a mop that was hooked to a board on the side. She moved over to the blood, keen on cleaning it before any of her crew showed up.

She dipped the mop in the saltwater and started to scrub. The blood came off the boards without staining which Emma was thankful for. The water had taken on a red colour by the time Emma finished and dumped it over the side.

"Are you ever going to sleep?" Mary Margaret asked Emma as she put away the mop and bucket again. Emma whirled to see her friend standing behind her, watching with concerned eyes.

"I'm fine," Emma replied, moving back toward the helm. "We need to keep the speed up."

"Which David and Robin can do. Emma, what's wrong?"

"Jones saved me from being attacked once. Years ago." Emma kept her eyes on the ocean, watching the steel grey waves churn under the brisk wind. It was just enough wind to billow the sails, not enough to cause a major roll. Emma hoped Jones would be able to sleep in it.

"And then he almost died." Mary Margaret's voice was understanding. Emma wasn't sure how she could understand when Emma didn't really even understand herself. Maybe Emma just didn't really want to lose someone on her watch.

"I had a debt to pay." Emma shook her head before setting her forehead against the worn wood of the wheel. "That's why I did this, I guess. David doesn't think it was a good idea. I didn't really even think about it."

"It was the right thing to do, Emma," Mary Margaret replied softly, placing a hand on her arm. "Trust yourself. And anyways, you know David doesn't think anything that involves bringing a stranger on board is a good idea."

Emma laughed softly. "David is a little protective."

"_A little?"_ Emma rolled her eyes at her friend's silliness. "But it's only to save you from being hurt."

"A little late for that," Emma murmured, her words swallowed up by waves beating against the Swan's hull.

"Please go rest, Emma. I'll get David to take over." Emma sighed and nodded. Mary Margaret wouldn't leave her be until she agreed to go rest. And honestly, Emma was exhausted. She secured the wheel in place and moved below deck.

Emma didn't even pause at her quarters to get something to change into even though she wore thick black pants cut close to her body to keep the wind from buffeting at them and her heavy grey coat. Instead she kept going straight down to the crew's quarters. Emma knew she could have had slept in Mary Margaret and David's cabin, or even used Robin's little retrofitted bunk if he was out of it but she didn't mind sleeping with her crew; she'd had much less to sleep on than a rope hammock before. The men had earned her trust over the years. They also knew she slept armed.

When Emma reached the big room that housed the crew's various hammocks it was almost fully empty. Most of the men had gone to the galley for breakfast before starting work. She picked an empty hammock near the back of the room and settled in the ropes. The rocking of the boat caused the hammock to swing slowly, a motion that made Emma hum appreciatively. It didn't take long until Emma was rocked to sleep.

"Captain Swan!" One of the younger deckhands woke Emma with a panicked tone. She wasn't sure how long she had slept other than it hadn't eased the tiredness as her bones still ached with exhaustion but it didn't matter. Not when she was being called.

Emma sat up and pushed her long blonde hair from her eyes. "What?" The word came out rough from sleep and was nearly swallowed by a yawn.

"The other captain is up and it's a mess up there. Captain's screaming bloody murder and demands to see this ship's captain." The deckhand was frantic. Emma craned her ears and just caught the tail end of a rough string of curses that didn't belong to any members of her crew.

"And I would be the captain. Thank you." Emma gave the deckhand a firm nod before watching him scurry back to his post.

Emma slipped from the hammock, adjusted her cutlass and grabbed her hat from the ground. She tucked her hair under the brim, made sure her jacket covered her chest then moved towards her cabin. Chances were Jones remembered her and downplaying the fact that she was a woman was rather pointless but Emma did it anyways, out of habit.

The yelling grew louder as Emma neared her room. It was violent and angry and caused a frantic look to cross the faces of several of the crewmembers she passed in the hall. That made her angry. How_ dare_ Jones cause such a disruption on_ her_ ship. Especially after her crew had saved his life. She threw open the door to her quarters and jumped down.

"What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Emma yelled as she marched towards the other captain. Jones was lying on the bed as sitting up was still too great a task, face red from yelling, sweat slicked hair stuck to his forehead in clumps. Jones looked like death warmed up.

Emma's yell immediately brought quiet to the room. Jones turned to her, eyes not quite focused, but still holding a vague recognition of who she was. She ignored that for the moment, focusing on her friends. David and Whale moved towards her.

"We tried to tell him where he was," David started in a hushed tone.

"But he won't believe us as we aren't the captain," Whale finished. Emma nodded.

"Out, please, men. I'll handle this." She patted David's shoulder.

"I'll be right outside the door," David whispered into her ear as he passed her by.

"I would expect nothing less," Emma answered with a tight smile. She waited until the door had closed behind her friends to approach Jones, who had, thankfully, stopped yelling.

"I'd ask you to please quiet down," Emma told Jones who watched her warily.

"I know you," Jones said quietly, studying Emma. Emma reached up and grabbed her hat, pulling it off. Her golden hair fell around her shoulders and Jones nodded to himself. Emma could have sworn he relaxed onto the mattress as he spoke, "Captain."

Emma allowed a small smile at the use of the name she'd given him. "Captain Jones. It's been a long time."

"How did I get here? Did you take my ship?"

"No. Your ship, or what's left of it, is leagues behind us now, limping to port." Jones cursed softly. Emma raised an eyebrow. What did he expect? "What were you thinking, attacking a warship?" Emma asked because she couldn't wait any longer to know why he'd made such a stupid decision.

"My reasons are my own, love."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Your reasons almost lost you your ship and did lose you a hand."

Jones glanced down at the heavily bandaged stump at the end of his arm and shrugged with a bit too much bravado. Since he had stopped yelling his face had paled to a floury colour and his eyes were blinking too slowly, the lids pausing closed every few moments. "Not one of my better plans."

"Well I hope it really wasn't planned at all or I fear for the safety of your crew." Jones eyes hardened as she spoke, a metallic glint coming through the fog of blood loss. The darkness of his eyes wasn't something she remembered from the young captain at the bar a few years ago. This was something that had come afterwards. Maybe he_ had_ turned into the ruthless pirate of legend. That made Emma's chest twinge. She pushed the feeling away without further question.

"If you think I'm such a terrible captain why did you pick me up?" Jones replied, a self-depreciating undertone to the challenge in his voice.

"I owed you a debt," Emma answered plainly with a shrug.

Jones's eyes softened when she answered and a complicated look flashed across his face. Emma didn't bother reading into that either. When they reached shore the crew would drop Jones off at a hospital and then winter maintenance would continue on as planned. Emma's life would go on and so would his, both doing their own style of pirating._ The end._ One and a half more days and Emma would be done with the confusing Captain Jones.

"I'll have someone bring you something to eat." Emma put her hat back on her head and adjusted the brim over her eyes before turning to leave.

"A gentleman would say thank you," Jones called softly as her hand wrapped around the ladder rung.

"Well it's a good job you aren't a gentleman then since you didn't say that," Emma replied without glancing back. She lifted herself up the ladder towards the crisp air.

"I'm always a gentleman, love." Emma shut the door on those words, cutting off anything that might have followed the statement. A gentleman? Sure, and she was a fairy tale princess. How was she supposed to figure out Jones if he couldn't figure himself out? A pirate? A navy man? A rogue? A gentleman? It was too much for Emma to try and make sense of.

And because of that she didn't go and see Captain Jones for the rest of the day.


	5. Infection

_A/N:_ You guys have had such amazing questions in the reviews and trust me, they will all be answered soon. Things need to build a bit more so please have patience with me. Thanks to everyone who's reading this and sticking around, as this is a different type of AU than I've posted before. I hope you all still like it anyways. I'm enjoying it. Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favourites. You guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma slept in the crew's quarters for the second night in a row after arranging for Mary Margaret to check on Jones throughout the night. Apparently Jones hadn't eaten anything that had been brought to him. All he did was sleep. While that sent a niggling worry through Emma which she quickly squashed she told herself that at least he wasn't screaming anymore.

Emma paced the length of the deck watching the horizon. It wouldn't be long until land now, the expected arrival time being early morning if the tide and winds stayed favourable. Even though Emma loved the ship she was antsy to be on land again, to have a break. She had what sailors called the channels, a restless energy caused by a call to port after being out a sea for an extended period of time. On land the crew could have their own lives and Emma could catch up on her rest without worrying about someone waking her up to tell her a cannon ball had blown its way through the side of the ship's hull or that someone had spilled the big keg of watered down ale the ship stocked for long journeys because large amounts of water would go stagnant in the barrels over the periods of weeks the ship found itself out to sea for.

"Emma," Mary Margaret hurried up to her. Emma turned and leaned against the gunwale. Mary Margaret's eyes were blown wide with worry. Emma stiffened, the wooden edge of the ship digging into her spine.

"What's going on?"

"It's Captain Jones. An infection set in through the night."_ Damn it._

"How bad?" Without realizing it Emma had started for the captain's quarters. Mary Margaret's quick steps caught up to her before she answered.

"Fever, nausea, slipping consciousness."

Emma nodded and dropped down into the captain's quarters, Mary Margaret close behind. Whale stood by the bed, pressing a wet compress to Jones's fever flushed face. Jones's eyes were closed but the movement of his eyes could be seen through the nearly transparent lids. The hand at his side clenched and unclenched in a steady rhythm, the knuckles going white each time his fist closed.

Whale looked up at Emma when she neared the bed. "How long until we reach land?"

"Tomorrow morning. Will he make it?"

"I hope so," Whale answered with a slight grimace. Jones thrashed and the damp cloth was tossed to the floor. Emma bent and picked it up before Whale could. The fever had already stolen the coolness of the water so Emma redunked it in a nearby bowl before setting it against the sick Captain's forehead.

Jones turned against her touch, a small whimper escaping his cracked lips. Emma froze, fingers against his temple, stunned at the soft reaction to her touch. No one had ever treated her as if she had a comforting presence before. After a few long moments she pulled her hand away and turned back to Whale who was watching her curiously.

"I really should go and see if I have herbs left to take the fever down but I don't want to leave him." Whale gave her a pointed look, eyes flickering to the cloth she had pressed to Jones's forehead.

"I'll stay and watch him," Emma replied quickly. Robin was on deck, the crew would be fine without her for a while. As captain, Jones was her responsibility so long as he was on her ship.

"Thank you," Whale answered before leading Mary Margaret away to help him.

Emma pulled the red tufted chair behind her desk closer to the bed. Emma had found the chair at one of her first stops after gaining control of the ship. She'd still been trying to earn the crew's respect then so she'd denied any help bringing it back to the ship. Emma had wanted to prove that she was just as strong as any man. She hadn't exactly counted on the solid wood frame to be as heavy as it was. It had taken a long while, and several drops on the road, but she'd eventually gotten the chair down into her quarters. She had slept on the chair that night.

Emma settled herself down on the chair, removing her hat and tossing it on the desk. Emma dipped another rag into the cold water and sat it on Jones's wrist. Again, Jones turned to her touch and Emma stilled, fighting the urge to run._ What was going on?_ Jones hadn't done that when Whale set the cloth on his forehead as she had entered. Why was she so different?

Emma leaned back against the chair, combing her long hair from her eyes. The chair squeaked a little under her and Jones pried his eyes open, one at a time.

"Captain?" Jones asked hoarsely as he blinked a few times to clear the fog from his blue eyes. The eyeliner around his lids had smudged from all the pain and fever induced sweating leaving him looking somewhat like a racoon. Though, the greenish tinge to his pale face also made him resemble somewhat of a corpse. Which frightened Emma because they were still hours from shore.

"You can call me Swan," Emma replied softly. She knew his name. If Jones was going to die at least he should know her name.

"Swan," he repeated slowly on an exhale as if testing the way the name rolled off his tongue._ "Swan"_ he called again, this time with more urgency as he leaned over the mattress and retched. Emma grabbed an empty bucket and pushed it under his head just in time.

"It's okay, Jones," Emma said softly when he whimpered, his body wracked by violent gagging. She wasn't sure how to do this. Whenever she'd been sick growing up she'd found a secluded alleyway or abandoned house where she could be miserable without being attacked until the bout passed. Mary Margaret was the mothering one. Whale was the doctor. Emma was just a lost girl who'd managed to obtain a ship, the first and only true home she'd ever known, ever felt safe in. She didn't know how to comfort. She knew only how to survive.

Finally Jones rolled onto his back, wiping a limp hand across his mouth. Nothing about his countenance spoke of Captain Jones, the pirate who attacked two ships at once and set them both afire after ransacking them for all their valuables and crew willing to work under the crimson flag._ Not even close._ Emma got up and dumped the bucket out the small window for her quarters before returning to the chair. She replaced the cool cloth on Jones's forehead and he sighed.

"Sorry, Swan."

"Don't apologize," Emma replied quickly, caught off guard. She ran another hand through her hair. The motion seemed to catch Jones's attention though the awareness dimmed almost immediately as exhaustion reclaimed his consciousness. "You're sick. Get some rest, it will help."

Jones, seemingly too tired to argue, shut his eyes. Soon his breathing steadied. Emma leaned back against the chair and waited for Whale and Mary Margaret to return. When Jones was asleep it was much easier for her to sit there, watching him. There was something about him that made her nervous. Maybe it was because she hadn't had a man who wasn't one of her crew in her quarters since before she was captain. Maybe it was because this man had an even more ruthless reputation than Neal did and she knew what Neal was capable off. Or maybe it was because she didn't quite believe the reputation. Emma was good at detecting lies and something about Captain Jones was giving her pause.

Emma watched him sleep for a while, occasionally replacing the damp cloths, before the captain's quarter's door opened. She glanced around the edge of her chair to see Whale enter with a steaming cup of something. Whale came over to the bed, examining Jones's sleeping form.

"How's he been?" Whale asked, brushing his hand across Jones's forehead, cringing when he saw that it hadn't cooled at all.

"Jones got sick a few times then went to sleep."

Whale tsked before handing Emma the cup. She glanced in the cup. It was a muddy colour and smelled of some sort of herb and mint.

"What's this?" Emma asked as Whale attempted to rouse Jones.

"A tea made from mint and yarrow. The mint should help the nausea and the yarrow will make him sweat to help break the fever." Whale shook Jones's shoulder gently. Jones groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Hello, Captain. I need you to drink this."

"No thanks, doc." Jones shook his head and moaned at the movement. A gag made his body jerk but he didn't get sick again.

"Jones," Emma said in her most authoritative voice. "Drink it."

Jones turned to her and did his best to glare. Emma returned it and for a few long moments they engaged in a silent battle of wills. Emma pursed her lips and gave him a dry look. Finally Jones sighed. Emma allowed herself a little smile at the win.

Dr. Whale slipped an arm under Jones's back and slowly eased him up. Jones leaned heavily on the support, breathing deeply. The effort of just sitting up seemed to drain what little energy he had left.

"Swan?" Whale called, motioning for Emma to come closer. Emma did as she was asked. "Help him drink that."

"Excuse me?" Emma asked, taken aback. She couldn't feed someone like that. She didn't know how.

"It's fine, Swan. I don't need your help," Jones replied before Whale could speak. He held up his uninjured arm to take the mug. It shook and Emma sighed, feeling like a heartless person.

Emma held the mug up to Jones's mouth, cringing to see her own hand was shaking nearly as much._ Come on, Emma._ She hadn't that nervous when she took on the warship trying to sink Jones's ship. Jones took a small sip but not before noticing the shaking fingers that grasped the cup.

"That's terrible," Jones spluttered after swallowing.

"But it should help," Whale replied with a small chuckle. Emma pushed the cup against Jones's lower lip again. Jones gave an exasperated sigh and took another drink.

"It's not like rum," the pirate observed wryly. "It doesn't get better the more you drink."

Emma laughed at that before she could stop herself. Jones looked up at her, startled, the look quickly morphing into one of curiosity. Emma turned away, looking out the small window as she bit down on her lip to keep any sounds in, but that didn't stop the burn of Jones's eyes on her. The cabin started to feel very tight and hot.

Whale took the empty cup from Emma as soon as Jones had finished and eased him back onto the mattress. Emma stepped back quickly, grabbing her hat from the desk, desperate to make some space between them.

"Will you stay for a while, Swan? Just to make sure the tea stays down until it works." Whale asked, motioning to the tired pirate captain as he walked to the ladder. Emma shook her head. No, not now, she needed some air.

"I'll send Mary Margaret. I have things to do on deck." Whale nodded and climbed up the ladder. Emma knew he read more into her excuse than she wanted him to but he didn't question her because she was captain.

"You should laugh more, Swan," Jones told her when they were alone, his voice going hoarse as he tried to force the volume of his words higher._ Captain Jones_ was telling her to_ laugh more?_ Emma had to be losing her mind. Or the captain was.

"Not many reasons to laugh in my life," she answered quickly before climbing out of the captain's quarters, cringing at her honesty. She sent for a crew member to get Mary Margaret before climbing the rigging and relieving the young boy who was stationed on the crow's nest platform.

Emma leaned against the mast feeling much more at ease now that she was away from such a strange pirate. In the open air she was just Emma. She didn't have to be the captain or the lost girl Neal had found and taken on the ship. She didn't have to have a strange curiosity about Captain Jones and she_ certainly_ didn't need to think about what that meant. Up in the air Emma felt like a bird, free of attachments and reputations, the whole world in front of her. The horizon was endless and it was all open to her. The stark contrast of that compared to how she had started her life was both overwhelming and awe inspiring. Looking out from the crow's nest was a good way to keep her priorities straight, and_ away from_ one Captain Jones.

Emma spent the rest of the afternoon up the mast breathing in the cold air and pushing away the confusing thoughts that had plagued her since The Merciless Swan had come across The Jolly Roger.


	6. Rumours

_A/N:_ Thank you for all the follows, favourites and reviews! This story doesn't seem to be as popular as my other two so it means a lot that you are all still reading it. Because I'm really enjoying the challenge of writing this type of AU. I hope this chapter shows you all some of the "Hook" Emma's going to have to deal with. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

"I thought I'd find you up here," David said with a smile as he heaved himself onto the platform and off the rigging.

"I wasn't really that hard to find. The ship isn't that big," Emma answered dryly, moving her hat back from her eyes so she could properly see her friend.

"You've been up here a while," he told her, sliding closer, the wind whipping his blonde hair across his forehead. "You're sunburnt."

Emma scowled and ran a finger over her cheek, wincing when it touched the hot skin by her nose. That was going to peel. At least she wasn't trying to impress anyone with her appearance. "I needed some space."

"From Jones?"

"Does it matter?" Emma answered, raising a brow and wincing when it pulled at the burnt skin of her face. David kept looking at her, pressing for Emma to continue and explain herself. After a while Emma sighed and turned to look back at the horizon. "I just don't like not knowing what people are like. I don't understand Jones."

"What's not to understand?"

Emma shot him a bland look. Surely David was as confused as she was about Jones's personality. Or maybe he was so focused on protecting Emma that he missed the puzzling aspects all together. "You know how I'm good at picking up lies?" She waited for David to nod his assent before continuing. "Well, something's striking me as not right with Jones. I don't think he's the same person I met two years ago, but something about this new ruthless persona isn't sitting right with me either."

"And that makes you nervous." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Because I don't know what he's capable of, yes. We've all heard the stories but I brought him on the ship anyways."

"You have to remember that he's injured and sick. It's hard to be what the rumours say when one can't even get out of bed."

"So you think Jones is all bad?"

David shrugged. "Don't know but we'll be in port in the morning and then it won't be our problem anymore."

Emma nodded. Yes, just a few more hours and she could go back to the life she was comfortable with. Jones would be gone for good. A month on shore and then the ship would be off on another mission and things would be as they should be. She'd repaid her debt to the pirate captain. No longer would she have to worry about him.

"Now come on, dinner's ready." David shifted and swung his legs over the platform. Emma waited for a little bit before following him down to the deck. Emma's legs were stiff from hours unmoving on the crow's nest, making her movements slow and jerky. She stretched, taking long lunging strides to ease out her sore calf muscles, as she made her way down to the galley.

The crew members were gathered around two long tables in the galley tucking into their meals after a day of hard labour. The speed of The Merciless Swan had been kept up for Jones so the men were all exhausted. One of the newest recruits had actually fallen asleep, forehead balanced on the edge of the table. The rest of the men ignored the young man, letting him sleep.

Emma grabbed her plate of food which seemed to be some sort of salt pork and potato mixture. The last days before a call to port always involved rather dubious meals. Emma moved down the table to where Mary Margaret had found a seat, sliding in across from her so David could sit next to his wife.

Emma took her hat off and set it on her lap. At the removal of the large brim that had been shading her face Mary Margaret gasped. Emma glanced up, mouth full of potatoes.

"What?" she asked around the food.

"Your face, Emma. It's practically blistered."

"Thanks for the compliment," Emma replied after swallowing the mouthful.

Mary Margaret was not amused by her answer. "Emma, you go right now and find Whale to get something for that."

Emma waved her hand dismissively. "I'm fine, Mary Margaret."

Mary Margaret pushed herself up and hustled around the table. She grabbed Emma's shoulders and bodily hauled her up. "We're going. David, bring her supper along so she can't use that as an excuse." Before her husband could answer she was dragging Emma out of the galley and towards the captain's quarters.

"The sick bay's the other way," Emma drawled, trying to dig her feet into the smooth wood of the hallway flooring like a petulant child.

"Yes, but Whale is in your room. He's been watching Jones all afternoon."

Emma dug her heels in harder. No. Emma did not want to go see Jones. She had just calmed herself, deciding that she'd ship him off to the hospital while she was at the shipyard and be done with him. Seeing him wasn't a part of that plan. Mary Margaret didn't let off on tugging Emma and practically dumped her into the captain's quarters.

Emma staggered a bit, trying to get her feet back under her as Mary Margaret and David entered behind her. Whale started from his position by the desk, jumping to his feet and hurrying to Emma when he took in her appearance. Whale immediately caught her chin, moving her face to each side to examine the scorched skin. At least with Whale standing so closely to her the view of Jones had been blocked. She tried to ignore how she could still hear the other captain's heavy breathing and focus on getting herself out of the situation.

"Oh, Swan," Whale murmured as he tapped the skin around her nose. Emma hissed and jerked backwards. "Okay, sit here. I'm going to go get something to help."

"Honestly, I'm fine," Emma replied as firmly as she could. She'd been sunburnt before, many times. They had healed and she had moved on. Just like with everything else.

Whale looked behind her. "David? A little help here please?" From behind her strong hands gipped her elbows and forced her into the chair that Whale had just vacated. Mary Margaret placed the dish of salt pork and potatoes on the desk in front of her.

"Just cooperate please? It will be over faster if you do." Mary Margaret argued before turning and ushering David and Whale out of the room.

"Sun a little hot today?" a quiet voice quipped from the bed. Emma glanced up and scowled at Jones. Sweat soaked hair still stuck to his forehead but he'd lost the greenish tinge from earlier. Looked like the tea might have actually worked. Emma picked up the fork David had brought along and took a bite of her dinner.

"Come now, Swan. What did I ever do to you?" Jones asked, feigning hurt, when she didn't answer immediately. The effort of his speaking dissolved into a wheezing cough. Jones jerked upright, good hand going to his chest. Emma ignored it for a few moments, not buying it, before it hit her that he might not actually be faking the cough. She jumped up, closing the distance between them and gave Jones a few sharp slaps to the back. Jones's breathing regulated after a long wheezing gasp and Emma stepped back quickly, hand feeling hot from where she'd touched him, though she didn't think the warmth was from the fever. Not that she was actually willing to consider it any further.

Emma sat herself down again while Jones finished calming himself and laid back. "What's wrong, Swan?" he asked when Emma continued to not say anything. Emma spooned another bite of supper into her mouth, ignoring the pirate until he got angry, his voice changing to a poisonous hiss. "Bloody hell, woman. What is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with_ me?_" Emma asked back, incredulous. "What's wrong with_ you?_ What happened to you? To the Captain Jones I remember?"

"Life," Jones answered with a wry twist of his mouth. Emma knew where he'd gotten that answer from- their first meeting- and she wasn't impressed.

"So what? Life turned you into some kind of monster?"

Something flickered across Jones's face before his weary features dissolved into a cocky glint. "Not monster, love. Pirate."

Emma rolled her eyes. "So the rumours are true then?" she asked, casually waving her fork around to play off her curiosity at the question.

"What rumours?" Jones answered, eyes hard. "The ones where it says that you were for sale before becoming captain, stolen right from your own bed? You'll have to tell me." Emma stiffened, hand going to her sword as she fought back the wave of emotion threatening to crush her. "I thought you said you weren't for hire, love?"

"Technically you can't be stolen from your bed if you don't have one," Emma answered, trying to sound unaffected. If Jones wasn't half dead already she'd have put her sword to his neck and taught him a lesson, just as she had two years ago at the pub. That specific rumour wasn't something people spoke about with her and got away thinking that was alright. She knew people knew about her past, word got around, but she didn't like to be reminded of it.

"What about the ones where you'll kill without a second thought? The one where you destroy everything good and noble you come across because you can't stand it?"

Again that strange look flickered across Jones's face. Jones closed his eyes and drew a breath through his nose. "Pirate, love," was the flippant answer.

Emma shook her head. No, she didn't believe that and she was too angry about his earlier comment to let the lie slide._ "Try again,"_ she replied.

_"Pirate, love,"_ Jones repeated, more forcefully this time, gritting his teeth together. Before Emma could say anything in return Whale entered carrying a bowl and some clean cloths. The bowl was full of cold black tea as the tannin was supposed to take away the sting of her burned skin.

Emma pushed herself up. "I'll take the treatment in David's quarters." She left the room, head held high, without another word. She was done with Jones. She should have just followed through with her plan not to see him again and been happy. But Emma seemed incapable of keeping herself happy.

She allowed Whale to lay the tea soaked rags across her face after lying down on the mattress in the First Mate's Quarters. Emma was relieved that some of the cloths covered her eyes, forcing them closed, because after being reminded of Neal and how she had found herself in such a life, the damp linen was the only thing keeping her tears at bay.


	7. Wanting it to End

_A/N:_ Sorry for the short chapter. This is a transition chapter. I thought I got over my writers block when I wrote a chapter I'm really proud of (Chapter Nine) last night but it seems that it's still around because chapter ten is brutal to write. I want to make things interesting for you all so I've been rearranging the plot a bit which is taking more time than planned. Sorry about that. I hope you all still enjoy this. Things will pick up again soon. Trust me. Thanks for the reviews, favourites and follows. They really inspire me to write- especially reviews because they remind me that people are actually enjoying the story!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma took a few deep breaths before shifting the tea soaked rags from her face. The tannin did do wonders for the stinging in her face. Not anything for the sting that constricted her chest but Emma had grown used to that over the years, but Emma hadn't expected it to. That ache was something she'd dealt with for years, almost eight for the one Neal had caused, and a lifetime for the one everything else had. She was used to it.

When Emma looked up, tossing the cloths into the bowl of tea she noticed Mary Margaret seated across the room for her. Emma shook her head. She'd forgotten how silent Mary Margaret could be, years as a bandit doing great things for the stealth quality of her movements.

"Whale said you were upset," Mary Margaret told her as soon as she noticed Emma looking at her.

Emma pushed herself up from the mattress and gave a little shrug. "No more than usual."

Mary Margaret bought her answer as much as Emma had bought Jones's about what had turned him into such a person. "What happened with Jones, Emma?"

Emma sighed. "Nothing you need to worry about. Words were exchanged and then I left."

"So Jones said something to you?" Mary Margaret stared at Emma until Emma gave an exasperated groan. If she didn't tell Mary Margaret David would start in on her and then she'd get no rest. If David thought Jones had did something his mind would immediately go to the worst place possible, something that Emma very much did not have the time or patience for. Especially so close to getting Jones out of her life.

"Jones made a snarky comment about my past with Neal. About being stolen from my bed."

Mary Margaret's face hardened and she started to rise from her position on the chair. "David's going to kill that pirate."

Emma quickly held her hands up. "Which is exactly why you aren't going to say anything. Jones leaves tomorrow morning and then we'll be done with him for good, debt paid off, see you never." Mary Margaret looked unsure but she settled herself down again anyways. "I just want Jones off my ship."

"Then that's what will happen," Mary Margaret replied softly. She got up this time and moved to sit next to Emma on the bed. "Neal's gone, Emma."

"I know," Emma gritted out, the name causing her breath to hitch in her chest. Emma forced the breath out._ It's been seven years, calm down._ "I kicked him off the boat myself."

"Then why are you letting it bother you?"

Emma shut her eyes slowly and exhaled between her teeth. "It's not like I want it to. I don't want Jones or_ him_ under my skin."

"Then don't let them." Mary Margaret pressed a kiss to the side of her head. Emma opened her eyes and turned to Mary Margaret. "Don't let them bother you because you're too good to be held down by them. You deserve to be happy, Emma."

"I am happy," Emma answered feebly.

Mary Margaret gave her a knowing smile as Emma stood to leave the cabin, the emotional topic making her uncomfortable. She wanted away from the talk of Neal._ Now._ "You're getting there."

Emma spent the rest of the night on deck, insisting to David and half her crew that she didn't need to sleep. On deck Emma was as happy as she ever was because on deck she was free, her small piece of the world solid under her feet. Emma paced the deck until darkness fell, checking for things that would need to be repaired at the shipyard and making a mental list of it all. When she could no longer see where a board was rotted out or the deck varnish had worn off she moved to the helm, taking over from Robin.

Emma stood strong, hands against the wheel. She'd learned everything she knew from David and Robin. She didn't come from this type of background, having known nothing about sailing before everything with Neal, but if anything, Emma was good at surviving and to survive one needed to adapt. Sure, in a storm Emma still handed off control to David but on a clear night where the moon lit the way Emma was fine on her own. She'd picked up a lot in seven years as captain, not to mention in the year she spent before that on the boat with Neal.

The Merciless Swan docked in the little port town of Berkley around eight o'clock in the morning. Emma stood at the helm as the boat was guided into the shipyard. Once docked Emma jumped off the boat, leaving David and some select crew members to tie up the lines. She also ordered Robin and Whale to bring Jones, in whatever way they saw fit, to the local hospital and off the ship. Emma was gone before they brought the injured captain up, letting the man leave without saying something to her because there was nothing that she wanted to hear from Jones. Unless it was the sound of his footsteps walking away from her.

Emma strode across the shipyard pier with long steps. Several of the workers nodded to Emma, a motion which she returned. She'd been coming to this specific shipyard for years so most of the workers knew her and didn't give her much trouble. But, as she was alone and there was always the chance that someone would not know her as the captain of The Merciless Swan, Emma's hair was tucked up under her wide brimmed green hat and she wore navy pants and her heavy grey herringbone coat both to keep out the early winter chill and hide her shape as a woman.

Emma let herself into the central office for the shipyard and swept her hat off, blonde hair falling down around her shoulders in a sea wind tousled sheet. The yard boss sat behind a large wooden desk, smiling happily at her. Marco was his name. Marco worked on the ships as well as the primary wood carver, though now any physical labour time was spent doing special projects such as figureheads as the talented man was getting older. August, his son, looked after most of the other aspects of work, climbing around the boats and getting into spaces that Marco no longer could. Emma liked Marco. He was kind in a way Emma hadn't experienced much of before meeting him. Though she usually only saw him for the month the ship was in his work yard Marco always remembered her and treated her like another child of his.

"Emma!" Marco called, rising from his seat.

"Good to see you, Marco," Emma replied, moving into his open embrace. She wasn't much for outright affection but Marco was Marco and she couldn't deny him a hug. Marco motioned for her to sit and Emma did, settling in the stuffed chair across the desk from Marco.

"So I take it you have some work for me to do?" he asked good naturedly.

Emma nodded. "Just a bit." She continued on to explain that several deck boards near the helm would need to be replaced after one of the cabin boys had dropped a cannon ball on it. The corking between much of the deck behind the wheel also needed to be done to keep rain from running through the deck and into the living spaces during storms. Emma also wanted everything on deck re-stained, though that was more preventative maintenance than something that desperately needed fixing. The wood was less likely to rot if it was sealed and less rot meant less trouble for Emma and her crew.

Emma stood when she was finished, grasping the brim of her hat as she moved. Marco gave her another hug goodbye before letting her leave the office. Emma stopped at the door, feeling compelled to tell him one last thing and annoyed at herself for wanting to do such a thing. But telling Marco felt like a proper ending to the whole debacle. And did she ever want it to end. With a sigh Emma turned to face Marco.

"There's a ship coming in, any day now, The Jolly Roger. Badly damaged. The captain was gravely injured so we took him in. See to it that the ship is allowed into the yard."

"This other captain, is he a friend of yours?" Marco asked cautiously, recognizing the name of the other ship. And the reputation. Under normal circumstances Marco would never allow The Jolly Roger into his yard, especially since his son was the one to do much of the work and day to day dealings with ships captains.

Emma shook her head. "Just someone I owed a favour to." She shut the door to the office and left, moving back towards her ship so she could release her crew for their well-earned breaks.


	8. Delirious Confessions

_A/N:_ Thanks for all the support! You are all so lovely! The well thought out reviews and kind comments you leave me literally make my day! Here's the next chapter. I would like to get another up tomorrow hopefully as it looks like I'll be spending the day in bed with the worst cold I've had in years. We'll see what happens. I think I may have finally broken through my plot issues, at least for a while, so hopefully I'll get some writing done. Thanks for the reviews, favourites and follows, they really do inspire me to write faster.

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma strode up the path from the docks, Mary Margaret and David beside her. The couple had insisted she leave the ship and come to their house for a proper meal to celebrate their break. Robin had been invited but had opted to go meet up with some of his friends from the town. After living with the crew for practically eleven months of the year it was no wonder Robin wanted a break.

The small group passed through the town. People bustled around the group, some cutting a wide berth around the group if they recognized who they were. Or saw the weapons they were all armed with. The cutlass attached to Emma's hip screamed pirate. Especially since she was a woman in a realm where being a pirate was a complete outlier to the normal career choices of women.

Emma's legs were still a little unsteady on dry land so she tried her best to concentrate on the cobblestones under her rather than the town surrounding her. She trusted her friends to lead her around any major obstacles as she attempted to keep her face from smashing into the street. Emma was stepping carefully over a curb when David tapped her arm.

"Hmm?" Emma looked up from where she was walking, stumbling slightly as soon as she faced David, her toe catching between two stones. David laughed and Emma punched his arm, quieting him quite effectively.

"I said that's where we dropped off Jones." David pointed to a large grey clapboard building with a white porch. Hospital was painted in bold black letters above the door. Large bay windows were set into the front as well as the middle of the second floor. A few people dressed in a dark navy uniform came and went through the front door; people Emma assumed were either doctors or nurses. They all looked like they had a purpose, moving confidently and speaking to each other in short messages that were acknowledged with a nod and a hurrying of feet. The port town of Berkley was just large enough for the hospital to be busy, but not large enough for it to be overwhelmed. The beds were filled on a regular basis but nothing major went on.

"That's nice," Emma replied simply, looking away from the building before David caught her craning to see through the windows._ She was mad at Jones. She didn't care what the ruthless pirate was doing._ At least she told herself that.

"The doctor said it was a miracle that Jones was still alive. The doctor wants to meet you, Emma, since you saved his life."

"I don't want any recognition. Whale should have that."

"And he got it. The doctor offered Whale a position at the hospital if he wanted it."

Emma turned sharply at that, looking first at David then back at the hospital. "Did he take it?" Emma didn't want to lose Whale but she did know that he was good at what he did and that the hospital would pay him handsomely for his skills. Emma had found Whale by chance in a small town so far away it was practically another realm years ago. Whale had been running from something that happened with his family but Emma was running too so she hadn't pushed. She still really didn't understand what had gone on to make him, a promising and up-and-coming doctor to join a pirate ship after just one conversation.

"No. Whale said he didn't want to leave the ship."

Emma let out a relieved breath. She didn't know what she'd do without Whale. "Good."

"You didn't answer me about going to see the doctor." David wasn't doing this to push Emma and she knew that. David wanted Emma to be praised, to get attention because to him, she was in need of it. Emma wasn't so sure she agreed.

"I'm not going to go. I've not done anything to deserve accolades."

"Is it because of Jones?" Mary Margaret asked, cutting off David's response. Emma didn't answer; just shot a knowing glance towards her friend. Emma wasn't going to gratify that question with an answer. She was done with Jones. They could stop talking about him_ now._

The group turned down a smaller road in silence, moving towards the shore where Mary Margaret and David's home was located. The house was a cottage made of river stone, one floor with a loft where the bedroom was. The shutters on the window were a creamy butter yellow to match the trim. The house was cozy and comfortable. Emma knew eventually she'd lose both her friends to their desire to make a family and live in the beautiful little spot they had found for themselves. A pirate ship was no place to raise a child. Emma just hoped that she would have a little more time with them. Because she wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet.

David unlocked the cottage door and let them all in. The bottom floor was mainly one large room with screens to separate parts. The room entered right on the round dining room table and kitchen with a large metal stove in the corner. A plush sofa was on the other side of the room near a bookshelf. A wide rag rug covered most of the stone floor to keep one's feet warm in the winter. Mary Margaret threw open the shutters, bringing large rectangles of light into the room.

Emma, feeling a bit like a cat, settled at the table right in the middle of one of the streams of sunlight. With a contented sigh she watched her friends move about their house, getting things sorted for their month in the town. They worked so well together, moving in tandem without getting in each other's way, whispering endearments when one passed behind the other. Emma knew she would never get what her friends had and had accepted that long ago. Love just wasn't in the cards for her, nor was it something she was willing to search for either. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.

Emma wandered back up the main street of town by herself as darkness fell. Moonlight was the only form of light to guide her as the town had no torches unlike some ports The Merciless Swan docked in did. The town was quiet, the only action happening around the pub at the end of the street. Light pooled from the open pub door ahead of Emma and raucous voices rang through the air. Most of Emma's crew was probably in there but she'd let them have the night without her interference. They deserved it and Emma just wanted to slip into her bed and cover herself with her multitude of collected blankets, sleep in after all the nights spent awake the entire time. Her whole body ached with exhaustion.

Emma turned down the road to the harbour, letting her feet take her on the well-known path. There was only one small fishing vessel in the harbour besides The Merciless Swan which was farther up in the shipyard portion of the dock. The lack of vessels caused the docks to be quiet as the fishing vessel was a locally owned ship. All the workers had long gone home. She would be the only person around at night, something which suited Emma just fine.

As Emma reached the docks she realized she wasn't actually alone. Up ahead of her, slumped on a bench was a man wearing all black, seemingly asleep, head lulling against a shoulder. Emma's hand went to her sword and she approached the person cautiously. Was it someone who'd gotten drunk and stumbled down? Emma didn't want someone like that near her ship when she was asleep and alone. She'd send this person on her way and then go board her ship.

Emma moved closer and was just a few feet away when she heard a moan. It was a moan of pain, not of inebriation. Emma closed the gap quicker, now wondering if the person was actually in trouble rather than lounging in a drunken stupor.

As soon as Emma had reached the man she cursed, realizing who it was, loud enough for the familiar face to turn towards her and the glacier blue eyes to flicker open. It was Jones. Pale, clearly in pain, but out of the hospital. Without his leather coat, which was nowhere to be seen, Jones was shivering violently against the wooden bench.

"What the bloody hell are you doing out of hospital?" Emma demanded, her anger at him clashing with the pang of worry that rocketed through her. She crouched down to see Jones's drawn face better. Jones was just as pale as when Emma had last seen him. She quickly did a once over of the injured pirate. The bandages around his stump had been changed and were tied neatly. The end was dingy from where it sat on the bench, damp with late night condensation. That was just asking for a second infection to set in.

"Didn't belong there. Belong on my ship." Jones's voice was weak, words slurring together. Emma wasn't even sure if the pirate was actually processing that she stood in front of her. The blue eyes that were normally so startling were glazed over so thickly that they looked fake.

"Well your ship isn't here, you idiot. It's barely floating thanks to you."

Jones groaned, bringing his only hand up to cover his face. "All my fault. Just like Liam and Milah." The brokenness of Killian's voice made the breath catch in Emma's throat. She knew now that Jones had no idea she was there. Pirate Captain Jones wouldn't be telling a practical stranger something that was obviously extremely painful. Emma suspected that had he not been in such a delirious state when admitting to the pain surrounding whoever Liam and Milah were the pirate would have broken down. Jones certainly looked like he was ready to.

"Like who?" Emma asked after a few moments of watching to make sure Jones wasn't going to cry. Curiosity burned inside of her, feeling as if the answer to Jones's confession would explain the reason behind her conflicting opinions instantly.

Jones blinked and rubbed his hand over his eyes. "Swan?" he asked, shifting closer. The previous delirium seemed to be slipping away.

"Yeah, it's me, Jones." The anger Emma had been feeling towards Jones had diluted. Something had obviously happened to him before the accident. Maybe that had been what changed Jones from the man she had once knew to this ruthless, widely feared man. That kind of thing was something Emma understood.

Emma put out her hand, grasping Jones's elbow. "Come on; let's get you back to the hospital." She gave a tug and Jones rose with a moan and a curse. Leaning heavily on Emma while she shuffled them around Jones stumbled and cursed every few steps. That was the only noise made for the rest of the journey. Emma grasped his waist as tight as she dared, fingernails nearly digging into his waist as she tried to keep him upright.

At least the hospital wasn't far. Emma was able to escort Jones back to the hospital without incident, only having to pull him off the ground once when the toe of his boot got caught in between two cobbles. Emma braced Jones against the wall before knocking on the hospital door.

The door swung open, revealing a harried woman in a navy uniform. "I think you lost someone," Emma told her, motioning to Jones who was nearly asleep against the wooden shingled siding.

"Oh thank goodness," the woman replied, reaching for Jones. "We just noticed the captain was missing when we did our rounds. A search was being planned just as you arrived. Thank you for finding him."

"No problem," Emma replied with a nod. She took a step back, moving off the front step. She paused, a pang going through her at the memory of Jones's confession, when she heard Jones mumble something incoherent and full of pain and desperation to the woman who was guiding him back inside. "Take good care of him" Emma called, making the woman pause and appraise Emma. Emma chewed her lip for a moment, not exactly understanding the look the woman wore but not liking it anyway. "There's more to him than the stories say."

Before the nurse could answer or Emma could think about what she had told the other woman she turned on her heel and hurried back towards the dock. Emma didn't think of anything more than burying herself in all her collected quilts and afghan throws until the morning light lit the captain's quarters, rousing her from an uneasy sleep.


	9. Bae

_A/N:_ So here's a chapter I'm quite proud of. It is mainly Emma-centric along with a new character but I promise you all that Captain Swan will be back in full force, their real adventure starting by chapter twelve or thirteen depending on how long twelve gets. I'm finishing up chapter eleven today and it may be my favourite chapter yet. Also, to address the new character, in the OUAT world he would be Neal, Emma's younger brother. In this story it isn't quite the same, though the sibling style relationship will be there/grow in the coming chapters. I felt weird about calling the boy Neal, especially since Neal is clearly a bad guy in this story so the boy will go by Bae. I know that might seem just as weird but when I was writing the first draft of this chapter that's what I named him (because in this story Neal doesn't also have the name Baelfire. It's just Neal Cassidy) and the name kind of stuck. I hope you guys like this and stick around as I'm quite excited for what's to come. Thanks for all the kind reviews, follows and favourites. I wish I could answer all your questions right now as they are so so good but trust me, it won't be long until pasts are revealed. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

The sun woke Emma but she didn't get out of bed. She kept herself buried under the blankets, trying to prolong the comfort, nestling further into the soft spot on the mattress, sinking into it with a sigh. The sun had already been up for quite some time by the way it was shining through the small window. She'd have to get up soon if she wanted to make herself scarce before the shipyard workers descended on her Swan to begin repairs. With a groan Emma rolled over and out of the bed, the thought of strangers finding her in her nightgown and still in bed spurring her movements.

The cold seeped into her bones as soon as she'd left her little nest of warmth. With cold stiffened joints Emma pulled on thick wool pants, immediately tucking her bare feet into a pair of cream coloured wool socks that went almost to her knees. The instant comfort the socks brought made Emma sigh. After digging through her chest of clothing she located a heavy blue sweater with a loose turtleneck to keep the biting chill off the back of her neck. She braided her hair down her back, tying it off before slipping on her boots, the tops of her socks peeking out above the well-worn black leather. The hat that went practically everywhere with Emma was placed on top of her head, the end of the braid trailing out the back.

Emma grabbed her sword and secured it around her waist as she moved to the ladder. Once on deck Emma locked the hatch to her room before checking the deck to make sure nothing was out of place or missing. Satisfied that things were fine on her ship Emma left, passing through the gates of the shipyard as the men were arriving for work. They all greeted her with a pleasant hello which Emma tried her best to respond in kind despite how tired she was from a sleep haunted by conflicting images of Captain Jones.

Emma turned towards the market that was set up several days a week just off the main street. Booths that sold food and wares were set up on either side of the cobblestone street which was quickly filling with people. The smells of various types of sweet baked goods and savory dishes filled the air along with the shouts of vendors trying to attract people to their booths. Emma walked the length of the market, moving through the townspeople as inconspicuously as she could, appraising all the stalls before deciding on a stall in the middle of the market selling sticky buns dripping with a sugary caramel and smelling of cinnamon.

Emma paid and took the sweet pastry, ripping off a piece immediately and eating it, practically moaning at how amazing it tasted, especially after so long out on the ship eating foods that didn't spoil quickly, which more often than not were not exactly the tastiest of substances. The caramel dripped down her hand and after checking to make sure she wasn't being watched Emma licked it off with the little grin that only sweets could bring.

Emma ambled back up the market, watching the people around her. As one of the only major shipbuilding/ repairing ports in the area Berkley brought in all kinds of people. People from across the realm congregated in the town resulting in a multitude of different cultures and styles at the market. Emma missed the kind of bustle that came from a morning market when she was at sea. The busy mornings on her ship were completely different.

So many people with so many different stories passed by Emma. In the crowd she was fairly undistinguishable. If they didn't notice the cutlass at her hip she looked like anyone else, out enjoying a treat in the brisk morning. The anonimity was comforting. It was one of the reason's she'd chosen to make Berkley her yearly maintenance spot. Neal never visited the town when she was with him and she'd had Marco keep his ear to the ground in case he ever showed up after Emma took over the ship. Neal never did. This town made Emma feel safe. No one knew her story other than what she'd created since becoming Pirate Captain Swan. No one talked about her past, at least not to her or around her crew other than Jones. Everyone else was just too smart to do that.

_Jones._ Emma found her mind wondering to the injured captain. Had the hospital staff been able to keep him there for the rest of the night? Or had Jones gotten away again and was somewhere passed out from the infection. She was half tempted to go check, just to make sure he was okay. Jones had been so vulnerable last night. She doubted the other captain even remembered her showing up or being towed back to the hospital. At least Emma hoped Jones didn't. And not just for her sake.

Whoever Milah and Liam were, they obviously did a number on Jones. The thought of something happening to turn Jones into the angry man of legend was somewhat comforting to Emma. It meant that persona wasn't something innate to him. Maybe that was why Emma couldn't get a solid read on him. Not that she really had any intention on finding out more about Captain Jones. Except for maybe going to make sure Jones was still in the hospital._ Not that that meant anything-_

Before Emma could decide to go to the hospital or stay in the market there was a scream from the alley behind her. It was a child's yell, panicked and high pitched. Emma whirled on her heel and hurried towards the sound, something about the frantic scream tightening her chest, causing an old memory to threaten to surface. Emma shoved it back into the locked box of emotions it belonged in as she entered the ally.

Just inside the alley was a young boy, maybe ten, being accosted by two larger men. The boy held a small loaf of bread in one grubby fist away from the men, the bigger of whom had a hand around the boy's other wrist. The boy was small, blond hair unkempt and shaggy, falling into his terrified hazel eyes as he fought against his attackers.

"Give it here, boy, or we'll cut off your hand to show the world what a thief you are," the man who wasn't holding onto the boy yelled as the other attacker ripped the boy towards him, causing the child to stumble and fall, knees hitting the cobblestones hard.

"Please," the boy shrieked. "I was just hungry. It's just one loaf. You have so many."

A pang went through Emma. She remembered the years of starving and stealing food just to survive. She usually had been pretty good at evading capture but she'd found herself in similar situations occasionally as a child, barely getting away each time. She'd always wished someone would have been around to rescue her.

Emma cleared her throat. "Let the boy go, it's just a loaf of bread." The boy jumped at her voice, struggling to reach Emma, desperation making his movements uncoordinated. Emma was pretty certain he just wanted help, it didn't matter who Emma was. She'd often felt the same way.

The men shot a glance at Emma before turning back to the boy and grabbing the loaf from his hand, the bread ripping as it pulled from the boy's fingers from how tight the child was holding it.

"Let the boy go," Emma repeated, more forcefully this time.

"This street rat needs to learn the ways of the world," the man growled without even looking at Emma. Oh how Emma had hated being called a street rat. The name still set her teeth on edge and made her insides roil.

Without a second thought Emma drew her sword and stepped closer, pressing the point of the cutlass against the back of the man who held the boy. "Do as I say," Emma hissed, twisting the sword point into the fabric of the man's shirt, ripping it slightly.

The man froze for a moment, just long enough to tell her the man had underestimated her, before turning to Emma, face red with rage. "Do you know who I am?" the man asked, pronouncing the words so strongly that spit flew at Emma with each harsh syllable.

"Do you know who_ I_ am?" Emma replied, moving her sword between the two men. The little boy was watching her, a mix of awe and fear playing over his face.

"A bar wench?"_ Not anymore._

Emma tipped back her hat with the hand that still grasped the sticky cinnamon roll, showing her face more clearly in the dim alley. "Wrong," she gritted, lunging forwards a bit, sword outstretched, making the large men flinch. "I'm captain of the pirate ship Merciless Swan."

"Captain Swan?" the man who didn't have the boy asked.

"Ah," Emma mused, "so you have heard of me." She motioned to the boy with her sword. "Let he child go." The two men looked between each other, having some sort of conversation with their eyes. When they didn't decide fast enough Emma lunged again, cutting a button of the larger man's shirt with a flick of her sword. The man let go of the boy, who dashed behind Emma.

"Now, give him the bread," Emma instructed. The man with the bread chucked it towards Emma and the boy, the loaf remnants hitting the dirt. The boy scrabbled for the bread, despite the mud and gravel now lodged in it. Emma's anger sparked. It was like watching history repeat itself. Her next request was as much for her as it was for the child. "No." Emma's voice was hard as diamonds and as poisonous as arsenic. "Not good enough. Go get the boy a fresh loaf."

"The kid stole the loaf. A dirty loaf is all he deserves."

"Do you make a habit of being wrong all the time?" Emma asked, forcing her voice to sound cool yet bored. "You'll get the child a new loaf that is clean and fresh, unless you would like my crew to begin a vendetta against you." Emma raised a brow until both men backed towards their stand and grasped a loaf, offering it to the child before hurrying away. The boy took the bread with wide eyes, bringing it up to his nose and sniffing deeply. An entire pirate crew against two men? That would not have ended well. Yes, these men must have had some sense somewhere in them.

Emma turned to the boy when they were alone, bending down to eye level. So much about this boy reminded her of herself. The child was so young and scared and obviously alone. The pants he wore were ill fitted and patched with what looked like twine. A long sleeved shirt, definitely not heavy enough to keep out the chill of the early winter's night, swamped his small frame, stretched around the middle as if he pulled it over his knees to act as a blanket. The boy's big toe peaked out of his right shoe.

"Hello," Emma said softly, sheathing her sword. The boy looked at her as if she were going to steal the bread from him herself.

"Thank you," the boy said quickly, as if saying that would allow him to get away and hide, to enjoy the raisin bread loaf the man had given him. Knowing he was about to run Emma put her hand out, grasping his upper arm. The boy jumped, hazel eyes going wide, but didn't struggle.

"My name is Emma," she told him. "What's your name?"

"Bae." The boy answered, looking down at the pavement.

"Nice to meet you, Bae." Emma caught the flicker of Bae's eyes to the half a cinnamon roll in her hand. She held it out in front of her. She could always buy another one. She was just glad the child hadn't run from her yet. Emma herself would have been long gone had she been in the same situation. "You must be careful of men like that, Bae."

Bae looked down again, almost ashamed. "Why are you helping me?" he asked quietly.

"Because, I lived on the street for many, many years. I know what it's like."

"But you're a captain now," Bae replied, wondrously looking back up at her. Emma gave the child a smile.

"Which is why you have to keep fighting. You can find your own place too, Bae."

"Can you tell me about living on the street?" Bae asked, worrying at his bottom lip. Emma fought back a sob at how unsure the child was that she would be willing to tell him her story, that someone would be willing to spend time with him. Emma still felt that unsurety at times now. She knew immediately that she'd do anything to try and stop that feeling for Bae.

"How about next market day? Meet me here?" She would have told Bae then but she needed time to sort out the story for herself. It had been years since she'd told it and never all at once. Bae nodded, satisfied at her answer, barely concealed amazement that someone had granted him such a small wish floating behind his eyes. "And I'll bring breakfast next time, okay?" Emma asked with an amused twitch of her eyebrow. That earned her a bashful smile from Bae, his exposed toe running across the cold cobbles as he shuffled sheepishly.

Bae stepped back, eager to go find somewhere to eat his bread and cinnamon roll in peace. Emma understood the desire to hide, to find a safe spot so the goods wouldn't be taken from him. Bae was small. The boy could hardly fight off someone trying to steal the loaf of bread. Emma used to hide under the pier of her town, perched on the rocks that shored up the land, hidden from everyone but the snails that had attached themselves to the large hunks of granite.

Before the boy could bolt Emma caught his arm again, holding him fast. The night would be cold. She had one other item for the child before he ran off. Emma remembered all too well how hard it was to sleep with frozen feet. "Wait, okay? One more thing."

Emma set herself down on the cold ground, the ice of the stones shooting up her spine as soon as she did. It was why she had preferred to sleep on the grass or pine needles when she had had to sleep outside. Stone held the cold too much to allow for sleep. Bae watched carefully as Emma pulled off her boots then her socks, his jaw dropping when he realized what Emma was doing.

"I can't take those," Bae mumbled, gazing longingly at the thick wool but trying to keep his chin at a proud angle. Emma smiled softly at him._ Just like me._

Emma held the socks up, pretending to examine them carefully, as she took a different approach. "They're clean. I promise. Just put them on this morning." She held the socks out again then sighed when Bae didn't immediately take them. "Look, Bae, I went a year without shoes once. I used to dream about socks like this. And now I have more pairs than I could have ever imagined when I was your age. Please take these? Fulfill the dreams of my ten year old self?"

Bae hesitated for another moment, looking at his feet, the exposed toe wiggling and blue from the cold where it peeked out from the worn grey leather of the shoe. With a nod to himself, Bae grabbed the socks.

"Thank you, Emma. See you soon." Before Emma could answer Bae had bolted, the desire to hide his food too strong to wait in an alley so close to a bustling market. Emma watched the boy go as she pulled her boots back on. When Emma lost sight of Bae at the end of the alley she stood and moved back towards the market to continue her morning walk feeling as if she may have found someone whose life she could change in a way Emma always wished hers could have been.


	10. An Earnest Thank You?

_A/N:_ I know I just put up a chapter but I wanted to put up the chapter so I could explain something. To the anonymous reviewer who was very disappointed in my last chapter- I hope you've stuck around so I can better explain why I chose to make the new character Bae and not Henry. In this AU Emma is in no way shape or form ready to be a mother. It just wouldn't work out for her. The relationship she needs right now is a sibling one, someone to be a friend but also a family member. Because of that I never even considered making this child into Henry. As it's an AU I'm taking artistic liberty and making the boy older than Neal is in the show. And as you pointed out, Neal/Bae wouldn't be Mary Margaret and David's child in this story but neither is Emma. This in an AU and I'm playing around with things. I'm sorry I disappointed you. It wasn't my intention. If you're still around and want to read my take on a parental relationship read my fic The Absence of You. It had a four year old Henry in it. Thanks everyone for the reviews, follows and favourites! I know the last chapter was a bit different than my other pieces. I hope you've stuck around!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma was sleeping when the hatch to her quarters was thrown open and she was rudely woken by the thump of feet. Emma bolted upright, drawing her sword as her sight swam into focus. When it did she noticed Robin, standing far enough back that had Emma swung her cutlass it would have missed him. Robin had obviously spent way too much time with Emma and her sleeping habits.

"Morning, Sunshine," Robin grinned when Emma put away her sword.

Emma snorted and rolled her eyes. "What?" Emma asked as she rolled out of bed and moved to her chest of clothing. Every day the weather got colder and the chill of the morning started seeping into her bones as soon as she was up, her nightdress providing little protection.

"The Jolly's just arrived. I thought you'd want to see Smee."

Emma cursed, glancing out the window to check the approximate time. She had plans with Bae later that morning._ Which she would not miss._ "Give me two minutes."

Emma yanked on brown pants and a slightly baggy grey sweater. She looped her cutlass around her waist and yanked on boots and socks. Emma scrambled out of the captain's quarters, the brim of hat held between her teeth so she could use her hands on the ladder.

Emma climbed out onto the deck. Robin and Smee were speaking by the gang plank. They both turned when Emma appeared. As she walked over to them she pulled the hat from her mouth and set it on her head.

"Morning, Smee," Emma greeted when she'd neared the men.

"Good morning, Sir- I mean Captain Swan." Smee turned the same colour red as his knitted hat. Robin raised an eyebrow in amusement at Emma but she let it slide. Smee was a bit of a nervous wreck anyways. She didn't have the time to wind Smee up any more than he already was.

"What can I do for you?" Emma asked, hooking a thumb through her belt.

"I wanted to thank you first, Captain," Smee started, bowing a little. "For saving us then taking Captain Jones back here."

"It was no trouble. The ship was on her way here anyways." Well, Jones had been a bit of trouble for Emma personally but she chose not to reveal that because that would bring questions about why. She was already worried enough about telling Bae her story. She didn't need to tell Smee too.

"Have you gone to see Jones?" Robin asked when Smee didn't immediately leave after saying thank you.

Smee cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. "I was wondering if you could take me to where he is."

Emma raised a brow. "It really isn't that far." The town was small and the hospital was one of the largest buildings, apart from the pub.

"I know," Smee replied. "But Jones is bound to be angry-"

Smee trailed off and Emma understood. She heaved an exasperated sigh. "So you want our protection."

"Not necessarily," Smee was quick to answer. "Just your accompaniment. Jones won't yell in front of you, Miss, uh- Captain Swan."

"Obviously you don't know him very well," Emma answered dryly, Robin hiding a laugh behind his hand.

Smee looked shocked. "Captain yelled at a lady? That isn't like Captain Jones."

"Obviously I bring out the best in Jones," Emma replied, stepping onto the gangplank and leading the way to the pier. Smee and Robin followed, understanding that she just wanted to get the thing with Jones over with and taking Smee to the hospital was the quickest way to do just that. The hospital was on her way to the market. She could get this done and slip away quickly as she had an excuse as to why she was busy.

Robin caught up to her as they moved onto the road, Smee following. "What's got you on edge, Emma?" Robin asked, glancing back at Smee, as if it were the nervous first mate winding her up. Emma shook her head. Smee wasn't bothering her. Not really. Sure, Jones set her teeth on edge so going to see him wasn't helping but she was more nervous about talking with Bae, about letting him down.

What if Bae had built her up in his mind? She didn't want to blow his confidence that he could make something of himself just because she had a horrible story. And what would Bae think, at his young age, about what Emma had been through? Had had to do? She desperately, and without understanding why, wanted Bae to like her, to trust her. She wanted to make what had been so wrongly done to her done right for this boy. She wanted to protect the child. The longer she thought about it the more sure she was about that.

"I've got plans," Emma answered vaguely as they carried along down the road. Smee was still walking behind them, as if the pirate was scared he didn't have the status to walk with Emma and Robin, even though Robin, theoretically was off a lower ranking than Smee. It made Emma wonder about the hierarchy on Jones's ship and how he treated his men.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Something I should tell David about?"

"Not yet." Emma sighed when Robin didn't let up his stare. Emma couldn't get away with anything without one of her friends calling her out about her secrecy. They were so scared that she was going to run at the slightest issue that they tried desperately to stay on top of everything. At least if she told Robin and ordered him to keep it a secret Robin wouldn't tell David. If David found out then Mary Margaret would know almost immediately after and would demand to meet Bae. But Emma wasn't ready for that and she was certain Bae wouldn't be either. Bae was still too skitterish. Mary Margaret would overwhelm him with her mothering, which would be too much for a boy who had grown up on the streets as Bae seemed to have.

"I met a little boy who lives on the street. His name is Bae. I'm taking him breakfast."

"Yet you look like you're going into battle," Robin drawled, curiosity heavy in his voice.

"Bae wants to know my story."

"Your_ real_ story?" Robin asked, now shocked. Emma nodded, biting at her lip. Robin had been the last person she had told and that had been at least six years previously. "Why?"

Emma stopped now that they were in front of the hospital. Emma motioned for Smee to go in ahead of them before turning back to Robin. "Because I see myself in Bae. And I know how much I wanted someone to come save me. But it never happened."

"So you want to save the child? How?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know," she told her friend honestly. "I'm trying to get him to trust me right now before I figure anything else out so don't say anything to anyone else. It will all happen naturally. At least that's what I'm telling myself right now."

Robin nodded. "This may be good for you, Emma."

"I want it to be good for_ Bae_._ I'm_ fine."

Robin didn't answer, just gave her a sad smile. Above them Smee clearned his throat. Emma glanced up at him and rolled her eyes when she realized Smee had never actually gone inside. What did he expect Jones to be like? The man had been nearly dead last time Emma saw Jones.

With a heavy sigh Emma started up the steps to the hospital door. "Let's get this over with. I have ten minutes." Smee turned to a nurse when they had entered and gave the injured pirates name. The nurse's eyes widened, shocked that someone was there to see Jones, but she led them upstairs anyways, stopping in front of a small room at the end of the hallway.

Emma gave Smee a shove in the door when the first mate made no move to enter. Smee stumbled forward, muttering a quick, "how are you feeling, Captain?"

"How do you think, Smee?" Jones barked back. "Where's my ship? The doctor said I could leave when my ship arrived."

"The ship's in the dock, Captain. She was taking on water something fierce by the time we reached port."

Jones cursed and Emma rolled her eyes at Robin, gesturing vaguely in Jones's direction. Did Jones think the ship was in stellar shape after taking on a warship it had no business confronting? Maybe he was still delusional with fever. "Did you arrange for the repairs, Smee?" Jones asked tiredly, the venom gone from his voice after the initial shock had faded.

"No- not me," Smee confessed, stumbling over the words. "The lady pirate, Captain Swan, did."

"Swan offered her assistance?" Jones replied, incredulous, cursing again softly.

"Surprised? She did sail your sorry ass back to port," Robin drawled from the doorway, leaning against the jamb. Emma slapped Robin from where she stood, out of sight. She didn't have time to rile up Jones. Bae was waiting.

"Are you out there too then, Swan?" Jones called._ Shit._ Emma stepped around the door frame and shrugged.

Jones looked better than when she'd last seen him, the colour returned to his cheeks as he sat against the headboard of the hospital bed. The majority of the infection must have been gone. Relief both that she would be done with Jones for good now, debt repaid, and relief that the pirate was going to live warred for supremacy inside of her. Was she happy Jones had survived because she no longer owed the pirate? Or was she happy because she actually_ wanted_ him to survive? How could that be when Jones had been so awful to her on The Swan?

"Not of my own doing," she replied to cover her conflicted thoughts. Jones smirked at the answer. "Now, that I've taken your first mate here, I must be going." Emma turned to leave but Jones spoke before she could go too far.

"Wait, Swan," he called. Emma paused, peering back in the room, waiting to see what kind of rude quip the pirate would have for her. Instead his voice was earnest and gentle. "Thank you."

Emma started, raising an eyebrow casually to hide her shock. "That fever must have mixed you up. I thought only gentlemen said thank you?"

A slightly embarrassed look flitted across Jones's face before the cocky challenging expression was back. "I'm always a gentleman, love."

Emma shook her head with a snort, dismissing the empty phrase as she remembered the last time Jones had used it on her. Jones wasn't a gentleman, not as the captain had been at the pub two years previously. And Jones was too far gone to ever be one again. Emma nodded a goodbye to Robin before hurrying away, not giving Jones the chance to say anything to impede her trip to find Bae.


	11. Emma's Story

_A/N:_ Hopefully this chapter will answer some questions for you guys. Know more will be answered soon but hopefully this will be enough to help pull some of Emma's story together. And don't worry, Killian will be back next chapter! Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favourites. They truly are my inspiration.

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma hurried through the market, worried that Bae would think she wasn't coming because she was running a little late. She stopped at the stall she had gotten the cinnamon roll at last time and picked up two, practically throwing the money onto the counter in her haste to keep moving. She also bought a meat pastry at a table farther up and a jug of milk. Juggling it all Emma had to force herself to slow down and walk to the alley where Bae would hopefully be waiting. She didn't want to run and draw attention to the child, especially if people were looking for Bae because of his stealing.

Bae was sitting on the ground of the alley, back pressed to a building, when Emma turned the corner. At her entrance Bae jumped, looking both completely terrified and completely in awe that she had come to their breakfast. Emma grinned as she took in Bae, her heart warming. She was both shocked and pleased with the amount of love she already felt towards the child. Bae had tried to clean himself up using the corner of his shirt which was still damp from where he had rubbed it across his cheeks, smearing, not removing, the street dirt.

"Morning, Bae," Emma greeted, nearing the boy slowly. She was still scared of setting him off. Emma had been away from the life Bae lived for years and she was still startled easily by too much forwardness or pressure. It wasn't an easy habit to kick.

"Hi, Emma," Bae answered nervously, toeing at the ground. Emma had to supress another grin when she noticed Bae was wearing her socks, the toe that stuck out from his shoe now clad in a slightly dingy cream wool.

"How about we find somewhere better to eat?" Emma asked. Bae looked at their surroundings, no doubt feeling safe hidden away, before nodding back at Emma. She motioned for the child to follow her.

The two moved through the market silently for a while, just enjoying the company of each other. Every once and a while someone's lip would curl in distaste when looking at how dirty Bae was. Each time Emma noticed the stares she would position herself in front of the child and very conspicuously adjust her cutlass. It usually worked to get people to turn away quickly.

The one time that approach didn't work was at one of the final stalls in the market, a table laden with blankets that Emma herself had looked at the last time she was there. The look the store clerk gave Bae was one of_ why are you here? You are obviously a street rat. This area is for paying customers you disgusting creature._ Emma wouldn't have that. She was looking after Bae now. This woman would not judge her charge. Especially not considering Emma didn't feel herself any different than Bae and knew how she demanded to be treated.

Emma stopped Bae's progress through the market with a hand to his shoulder. The child jumped at the contact before realizing who had a hold of him and turning to look up at Emma. Emma motioned to the table laden with blankets.

"Pick any one you want," Emma said, gesturing again to the table. Bae's eyes widened and his teeth gnawed on his bottom lip.

"They're too nice," Bae murmured, which earned a smug look from the shopkeeper that Emma itched to slap away.

"Nothing is too nice for you, Bae. Don't let anyone tell you that." Too many people had told Emma that in her life that she had internalized the message. Emma would do anything to prevent Bae from dealing with the same issue. She pulled Bae closer to the stall and waited until the boy began to sift through the piles of fabrics before turning to the shopkeeper. "Do you know who I am?" Emma asked in a hushed tone.

The shopkeeper shook her head, clearly unimpressed, regarding Emma with a look that told her she was seen as a street rat as well, simply for being with Bae. Emma tipped her hat back and leaned closer under the guise of examining a red blanket.

"I'm a pirate captain, quite well known if we're being honest, and I'll have you know that I don't take kindly to people with your kind of attitude." The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed after flickering down to where Emma's fingers played along her sheathed sword. "This is a child, not some dirty thing to scowl at. You will deal with the child as if any other patron and if not, well, I'm sure the crew of The Merciless Swan would love to meet you." She really didn't want to have to threaten people all the time but in the world Emma lived in sometimes that was the only way to get ahead. One really only needed to act upon a threat once or twice before one's reputation carried enough weight to bring compliance with only words.

A tense moment passed before the woman nodded curtly and turned to Bae who was touching every piece of fabric he could reach. Emma leaned against the booth, watching and listening to make sure her orders were followed. They were. Bae seemed terribly pleased that any question he had was answered promptly and properly and any blanket he wished to see that was out of his reach was handed down with reverence. The equally respectful way Bae examined the cloth made Emma flare with pride.

After a few moments, Bae turned back to Emma and held up his selection. "It reminded me of you," Bae admitted bashfully as Emma looked it over. The blanket was a rich blue colour with white birds quilted into it, each bird having a shiny black button for an eye. Upon further inspection Emma realized the birds were swans.

Emma nodded as her throat had constricted too much for her to speak, handed over the money for the blanket, and motioned that the two continue on their walk, Bae gripping his new possession tightly. It wasn't until the two had reached the park that Emma felt confident in her ability to speak again.

"Here," Emma said, referring to both the bench she stopped in front of and the cinnamon roll she held out to Bae. Bae took the pastry carefully before sitting and spreading his blanket out over his knees with his free hand. When Emma sat down beside him Bae covered her lap as well, causing another wave of emotion to wash over her.

"I'd like to hear the story now," Bae said quietly after they had eaten some of their cinnamon rolls. Emma glanced down at Bae and sighed. She had promised him a story. Her story. Emma offered Bae some milk to buy her a few more seconds before closing her eyes and starting.

"I never knew my parents." The words were difficult to get out, biting into her throat as she tried to force a volume behind them. She'd cried the entire time she'd told Mary Margaret. She wouldn't do that to Bae. After taking a deep breath and glancing at Bae who watched her with rapt attention she pushed on. "I was found, just a few hours old, on a street in a town three weeks sail from here. I was put in an orphanage that day. I was adopted as a baby, so they tell me; I only actually remember being given back when I was three because the couple wanted to start a family of their own in a new town. I apparently didn't qualify for their dream life." Emma tried not to sound bitter and failed miserably. She sucked a hard breath in through her nose.

"Anyway, I stayed at the orphanage until I was seven. At seven my orphanage burned down. I suppose I could have moved into a new one but I hated the orphanage. I didn't belong there. I was mocked and bullied because I was given back. Everyone thought something was wrong with me because the family didn't want me. Eventually I started believing that too. Still haven't kicked that habit," Emma added with a wry twist of her lips. "So I took the fire as my chance and ran. I left town and ended up finding a city about four days walk away. I didn't count on how hard living on the streets would be. But I couldn't go back. At least on the street I was in charge of my own life."

"How did you survive?" Bae asked quietly, running his fingers over the stitching around a fabric swan.

"For a lot of years I stole food and other belongings. What I stole that I couldn't eat I sold and used the money for food or in the winter, to buy warm clothing. I didn't have much. I lived in a place that was condemned for a while until some men showed up." Emma stopped speaking, looking up at the sky under the guise of watching the snow that had started to fall. She just didn't want to tell Bae about the choice the band of men had given her and she knew the child would see it in her eyes, read something into the situation. Ultimately she took the leaving option the men had offered her after realizing what staying would mean. Not that Emma had been able to escape that kind of trouble for very long but at least she had been able to postpone it. Emma sighed and then looked back towards Bae whose wide eyes were watching her carefully.

"I left that building and found another. I spent the next six years moving between abandoned buildings, leaving whenever anyone showed up. At thirteen I got recruited."

"Recruited?" Bae asked, confused. Emma just shook her head. Bae watched her for a few more heartbeats before his mouth opened and a quiet understanding sound emerged from it. Emma cringed. Apparently even a boy as young as Bae still knew about that aspect of life. Emma wondered if Bae had begun to contemplate such a thing as well in exchange for a roof to sleep under and a few coins. Bae leaned against Emma's shoulder but didn't say anything else.

"At sixteen the pirate captain Neal Cassidy came into the bar I worked at and convinced me to come with him on his ship. I don't know why I did it. I guess it was the first time someone actually wanted me and that was too tempting to risk losing. I didn't question Neal's motives. He said he wanted to rescue me. That was what I'd always wanted. We fell in love while we sailed across the realm. Or I thought we did. After spending about a year on board the ship I found out Neal was going to sell me in another realm for some relic that would bring him enough money for a small farm. I was betrayed and terrified. So I convinced the crew to mutiny and let me take over as captain. I kicked Neal off the ship on some half-populated island before we reached the warlord who was going to purchase me and left. I've been captain of The Merciless Swan for seven years now."

"What happened to Neal?" Bae asked after a long silence.

Emma shrugged. "I don't know to be honest. Neal has a ship again. I keep track of where he is sailing in order to stay away but the man's location is hard to pinpoint with such a lifestyle. I put out the word to anyone who would listen that if Neal ever showed up I'd kill him. It's why I'm here too. Neal doesn't dock in this town. I bought out the harbourmaster to ban Neal from the harbour if he were to ever show up with the first treasure I sold."

"And that's your story?" Bae asked around a mouthful of the meat pastry Emma had handed him when the cinnamon roll was finished.

"That's my story." Emma wasn't sure if Bae was satisfied with her tale or not. She sat, watching the snow and waiting. Was Bae disappointed in her? In her choices? Did he think she was a failure? Did he think the things Emma thought about herself when the darkness overwhelmed her?

Bae held out the last piece of meat pastry to Emma. She glanced down at it when Bae pushed it closer to her. "Thank you," he told her.

Emma closed Bae's thin fingers over the food and pushed it gently back to his chest. "Thank you, Bae." Bae grinned up at her before popping the crusty pastry into his mouth. A shiver wracked through Bae's body. Bae pulled the blanket up higher around his chest.

The poor boy was freezing. Emma knew the feeling all too well. It was that feeling that had led her to agreeing to her recruitment offer. Winter was hard enough for Emma but that specific year she'd been approached she'd had no shoes. Taking up that lifestyle hadn't been a choice for Emma. But she wanted Bae to have a choice.

"Bae, do you want to come live with me on The Merciless Swan?"

Bae's face lit up about a million times brighter than when Emma had told him to pick a blanket. "Really?"

"Really. It's your choice but you can move in with me whenever you want. Until we leave port you can have my friends David and Mary Margaret's room."

"I'll have my own room?" For a moment there Emma thought Bae was going to dissolve into tears but instead a giggle exploded out of him.

"Until we leave," Emma reminded him when the laughter had quieted. "After that you can stay with me in my room. I'll find another bed for you."

"Thank you," Bae gushed.

Emma stood; the snow that was coating her was chilling her body. "Shall we go now?"

Bae bit his lip, hesitant. "Can I come tonight? I need to do some things first? I have a few belongings to get and a few to give away to some people I know who helped me." Emma nodded, she understood. Someone as young as Bae would need help for sure in order to survive.

"Okay, but please be safe," Emma replied, taking the blanket Bae handed her to keep safe for the day.

"Can I tell my friends that I'm moving in with my sister then?"

That wave of emotion washed over Emma again, same as before. This boy was offering her family. This boy_ wanted_ to be her brother. All Emma could do was nod. Bae grinned before running off. Emma stood there in the park, absolutely stunned until she started to shiver from the cold.

The shaking woke her from her stupor and Emma went back to the market to pick up some things that Bae would need, or well, what she assumed a little boy would need. She didn't exactly have much experience in that department. She was tempted to go find Mary Margaret for help but she wanted the night with Bae alone. Tonight's only purpose for Emma was to be a sister and hopefully actually figure out what that meant in the process.


	12. Shock and Fight

_A/N:_ So today was successful- I wrote three chapters in my free time. That's how I'm able to do this story and go to university at the same time. I stock up on chapters. Hopefully tomorrow night when I get another chance to write I'll get at least one or two more done so I'm good for the week. Thanks for all the follows, favourites and amazingly thoughtful reviews! I can't believe how amazing you all are! Enjoy the return of Killian Jones!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma stood in front of David's bed, examining the pile of belongings she had picked up at the market for Bae. She didn't know what kind of things Bae wanted or needed. Emma had gone for basics as a result, figuring they could always get more when Bae had settled in. Again, she was scared of overwhelming him as she herself was starting to feel a bit out of her depth. Even though she'd gotten things she deemed a necessity which didn't take too much planning it took Emma several hours to get everything and bring it back to her ship.

A smaller pair of red socks than the one Emma had given Bae previously sat next to a pair of ankle length black leather boots Emma which had estimated to be Bae's size, possibly a little bigger, on the bed. She figured once Bae started eating properly he would begin to grow so having a bit of room at the toes of the boots wouldn't actually be that big of a deal. A pair of thick winter weight pants and a wool sweater, both in black also occupied space on the bed. She'd not been sure what kind of hat Bae would like so she picked up a simple knit beanie made from blue wool. It would keep Bae's ears warm in the winter until Bae got a chance to pick a brimmed hat out for himself at a larger port where hats like Emma's could actually be bought. Emma had been hard pressed to find a small enough jacket on such short notice but eventually she found a short green coat tucked in the back of a men's haberdashery. It wasn't exactly a pirate's coat but it would keep the child warm.

Emma moved all the new clothing from the bed to the small table David and Mary Margaret used to have tea together before spreading Bae's quilt out on the mattress, tucking the ends underneath to create a snug pocket for the boy. The swans that covered the quilt still touched Emma in a way she wasn't used to. She ran a finger across the button eyes, smiling to herself at the memory of Bae revealing the blanket to her along with his reasoning behind the choice.

From the pocket of the coat she still wore, as it was extremely cold now that the wind had picked up and it was still too early to turn the stove on, Emma produced a few pieces of candy. She shoved the paper wrapped bits of colourful taffy just under the edge of the quilt so Bae would find them when he went to sleep. Emma had always wanted to be on the receiving end of a gesture such as that as a child. That was another reason Neal had so easily drawn her in. It was also the reason she still wore the little metal pendant around her neck. Reminders were better where she could see them._ Feel them._

Emma surveyed the room making sure everything was in its place. She was expecting to hear Bae's feet crossing her deck any moment. And despite her nervousness, her excitement was growing as well. Because Bae wanted to be with Emma even after she'd told him her story. Emma sat down on the bed and waited to hear Bae board as she tried to decide what to show him about the ship first. Maybe Bae would like the galley best? Or maybe the weapons storage? It was too windy for her to take Bae up the rigging but if the wind died down she could do that in the morning.

Emma sat on the bed for an hour with no sign of Bae. Darkness had fallen while she had waited. Emma got up and hurried to the window when a strong wind rattled the glass pane. Face pressed against the glass Emma watched a blizzard beat down on her ship. Panic started to set in.

Bae was out in the storm without a coat. What if in the snow Bae couldn't find the shipyard? What if Bae was lost just wishing that Emma would find him before the storm froze him? Emma turned from the window and bolted out of the room.

The snow bet down on her cheeks like knives as Emma dashed into town from the shipyard. She hurried past several new ships that had docked due to the storm. Had she been in less of a rush Emma might have spared a few more moments thought about the warship that was also docked just outside the shipyard. But she didn't. Because Bae was her priority.

She ran up the street, hollering for Bae, ears straining to hear any sort of faint answer. It wasn't long until Emma's boots were coated with the heavy snow and her coat was soaked through. Poor Bae was just in a shirt. Emma rounded the corner of the alley way she normally met Bae in, running up it as she yelled.

Emma ran past the little structure of plywood at first, thinking it was nothing more than excess building supplies. It wasn't until a quiet "Emma. Captain Swan!" cut through the howling wind that she stopped, skidding on a sheet of hidden ice.

By the time Emma had righted herself and backtracked a few steps Bae had appeared, lips so cold they had turned blue. Emma hurried over to him, hauling off her jacket. She draped the heavy material over Bae's shaking shoulders, bending down so she could do up the front buttons.

"Why are you out here?" Emma asked as she turned up the collar around Bae's neck. Her own neck was starting to sting from the cold now that it was no longer protected.

"I was trying to find everyone and by the time I did the snow was really bad. So I crawled in there to wait it out because it was hard to move in the wind and with my feet hurting so much from the snow."

Emma nodded. "Well let's get you back to the ship now," Emma said firmly, grasping Bae's shoulder and guiding him out of the alleyway. Emma quickened their pace as the two moved down the main street, the idea of blankets and a warm drink waiting back on her ship spurring their movements.

As the two neared the pub Emma began to be able to make out a few voices, all men. But they weren't coming from inside the pub. Instead they were outside and around the corner of the establishment. Emma paused, drawing Bae in closer to her side while she listened to see if she should take the child another route to avoid trouble.

"What have we here?" a male voice drawled. "Do you really get this upset at just seeing us?"

A sword was drawn, the ringing unmistakable. Emma's hand automatically went to her own, tightening her stiff and cold fingers around the hilt.

"No wonder the boss wanted you out of the way. Just talking turns you into a child, Jones."_ Jones?_ Captain Jones? The pirate? The pain in Emma's ass? The Jones she knew would fight back but it sounded as if this Jones was just taking everything. What was going on? A dread settled inside of Emma. Something wasn't right. Wasn't adding up.

"You didn't have to take her too," Jones gritted out, sounding as if it were the hardest thing in the world for him to do. Hearing the voice was all Emma needed to confirm that the man being cornered was in fact Captain Jones. "Not Milah. She was innocent."

"Technically you all were," the other man replied casually. "But you know how things work in this economy." Another sword was drawn but Emma couldn't be sure whether Jones was one of the armed men or not. Anger flared up inside of her. She hadn't put in as much work making sure Jones survived as she did to have him killed in a clearly unfair fight.

Emma bent to Bae. "I need you to go hide in that doorway over there. Don't come out until I yell for you, okay? I need to handle this."

Bae bit at his lip for a moment. When a few more insults were thrown towards Jones which he responded to, feebly at best, Emma gave Bae a little shove in the direction she wanted him to go. With a little nod finally Bae retreated to the covered alcove.

Emma drew her own sword and crept forward. She peered around the pub wall before showing herself, just to get an idea of the situation. Jones, clearly not dressed for the weather was standing against the brick wall, pale and freezing but also with a lifeless quality, similar to the one she had found him in back on The Jolly Roger. But Jones wasn't wounded this time. At least not on the outside. It looked as if Jones was in shock. Emma looked towards the men- naval officers. Both had their swords drawn and pointed towards Jones who was standing unarmed.

"I knew you'd not gone straight," Jones hissed.

"But it sure makes it easier to get around when we've got a navy vessel and uniforms, especially since you're here in Berkley now, wouldn't you agree?" So these men weren't Royal Navy? They were imposters? Whose control were they under? Emma's mind whirled.

"Not my fault you were so easily outsmarted before." Jones didn't even flinch when the man closest to Emma reached out with his sword and flicked the sharpened edge across Jones's bandaged stump. The gauze immediately turned red. Jones didn't seem to notice, instead just kept staring ahead. Emma growled. There was only one way the captain would get out of this mess.

Emma stepped around the corner, sword up. "Evening boys. Nice weather isn't it?" They all turned towards Emma at the sound of her voice. The navy officers- or not?- narrowed their eyes at Emma, one flicking his sword from Jones towards her.

"Swan," Jones gasped, bringing up his uninjured hand as if to wave her off. Emma ignored the motion. She wasn't leaving now.

"Swan?" one of the men asked incredulous. "As in Emma Swan?" Emma bristled at the use of her first name. Who were these men and how did they know her?

"My, my you've certainly grown up," the other drawled, stepping closer. "You were nothing but a common bar whore when I last saw you." Emma cursed to herself. There was her answer. "Still do any business on the side?"

"I've changed professions," Emma replied, trying to sound unimpressed. She took a step closer, carefully noting the way the two men watched her. It was with a hunger she was both used to and hadn't dealt with in a very long time. "Now, why don't you boys go play somewhere else? I hear the pub has great mulled wine."

"But there's plenty fun to be had here, Emma. A broken pirate and a whore? It's our lucky night." Emma didn't even glance at Jones when he made a feeble attempt to push off the wall towards the men. Did he think he was actually going to defend Emma in his state? The man closest did pay attention though, turning and slashing out with his sword.

Thankfully Emma had been watching and cut off the lunge with her own blade, the sound ringing sharply in her ears. The man was strong, pushing back at Emma and forcing her to draw her weapon away. Oh how she wished her crew was there to help her. Both men were focused on her now, parrying and swinging blows towards her. Emma did her best to deflect them while trying not to slip on the ice under her feet.

Emma swung forwards again, moving lower than the other man's sword and driving the edge of her blade into the man's hip, the navy uniform going red with blood immediately. It wasn't a deep cut but it was positioned at a good spot to slow the attacker down. The other man stepped forwards then, trying to take over but the injured man wouldn't back down. Emma's blade smashed against both of the other swords at once, little shockwaves going down her arm from the impact.

The two men managed to force her backwards against the pub wall, leering more and more the closer they got to her. Emma berated herself for being so stupid. She should have just taken Bae and ran. But now she was stuck against a building about to be killed by two strangers who apparently knew her.

Suddenly both men collapsed in front of her. The one with the hip injury was knocked unconscious on impact, the other falling into the snow with a curse. Emma looked up to see Jones holding his sword like a bat after clubbing both over the head with the broad side of the blade. She spared him a smirk, trying not to dwell too much on the fact that up close she was sure the pirate had gone into shock, lips blue, eyes glazed. Emma turned her attention to the man trying to get back up.

Emma pressed her blade across the man's neck who struggled against the edge to get up. "Normally holding still is the best decision now."

"What happened to telling me_ don't stop?_ Hold still's not a very whore-like thing to say."

In a flash Emma's sword slashed down, not on the man's neck, but in an area which would ensure the world would not have to deal with any copies of the asshole. There was only so much Emma could take. This man had found and successfully crossed her limit. "Like I told you before, I changed professions," Emma spit at the injured man between the howls of pain ripping from his chest. "It's Captain now."

Before the man could do anything other than cry Emma kicked out, driving her heel into the man's temple. With a groan the man went out cold. Emma turned, grabbed Jones's wrist and tugged him forwards. Jones stumbled after her as Emma rushed away. She knew Jones didn't want to be moving, could tell by the way he dragged his feet. But she needed to get them back to her ship. The area where her boat was kept, as it was in for active repairs, was locked up at night and only Robin, David and the workers held keys to the main gate. They would be safe there. She obviously couldn't leave Jones alone in the state she'd found him in. Jones would be dead in two minutes if caught, an hour if left to the shock and the elements.

Once around the corner of the pub Emma called for Bae. The boy appeared immediately, pausing when he noticed Jones. Emma motioned the boy closer, using her other hand to keep a strong grip on Jones.

"Can you do me a big favour, Bae?"

Bae nodded, still watching the other pirate warily.

"Okay, good. In my jacket pocket are some keys. I need you to run ahead to the shipyard and open the gate and then open the hatch to my quarters. It's the smaller hatch on deck, in front of the wheel. When you get inside the cabin can you start the stove?"

Bae nodded, a proud tilt raising his chin at the thought that Emma would need his help. "Do you have flint?"

"On top of the stove. Firewood should already be in it."

"Okay, see you soon," Bae took a few running strides away before pausing and turning back. "Be careful."

Emma grinned at him despite the dangerous twist the evening had taken. "You too," she called back. As Bae scurried towards the shipyard Emma tightened her grip on Jones's arm as it was almost shaking itself out of her grasp. Emma couldn't even begin to guess what kind of history Jones had with those men if it could put_ Captain Jones_ into shock.

"We really have got to stop meeting like this, Swan," Jones whispered as Emma hauled him forwards.

Emma snorted and continued to pull them in the direction of safety. "Yeah, I'm getting really tired of having to save your ass."


	13. Warming Up

_A/N:_ Thanks for the amazing support, reviews, follows and favourites. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma guided Jones to the shipyard, keeping her ears trained for sounds of pursuit even though she was pretty confident both men were still knocked out. The magnitude of what she'd done started to sink into her as she pulled a silent Jones forwards. Whoever those people were, they weren't people she wanted to tangle with. She'd have to call Robin and David and Mary Margaret back to the ship tomorrow and work out, well something, once she figured out what was really going on. David was going to kill her.

"Come on, Jones," Emma urged when the pirate slowed. Emma could hear his teeth snapping together as they chattered. She needed to get Jones in front of her stove right now.

"Leave me here, Swan." Jones's argument was nearly stolen by the wind. "It's safer."

"Too late for that if you ask those men," Emma replied trying to sound nonchalant. Up ahead of her she could just make out the outline of the shipyard gate, thick wood and metal.

"Why did you do it?" Jones asked.

"Cut off that specific appendage?" Emma replied with a raised brow. She normally would have told Jones to shut up, that her reasons were her own, but she wanted to keep him talking. If Jones was talking then he was conscious which meant he was capable of walking. "I don't like being called a whore."

"That certainly wasn't good form," Jones gritted out as they reached the shipyard gate. Emma laughed in spite of the situation as she swung the door open and pulled Jones into the safety of the fenced work yard. She slammed the lock down and secured it before turning back to Jones whose fingers were blue and stiff as wood when she reached for them. Emma grasped them tightly, wishing she had more warmth in herself to take the chill away.

Emma heaved a sigh of relief when she located the gangplank to her ship through the snow. Emma moved so Jones could climb first with the idea that she could catch him if he fell backwards. In truth Jones would probably crush her and send them both into the freezing harbour._ Way to think positive, Swan._

"Come on, Jones. It will be warm below deck." The promise of warmth was all Jones needed to heave one heavy foot up onto the wooden ramp then the other. The progress was painfully slow, not the way it should have been for a famous pirate captain less than thirty years old.

Once up on the snow covered deck Emma led the way to her hatch. Years of finding it in the dark made it easy to locate. As it swung open easily when she pulled at the hatch she knew Bae would be inside. She just hoped the fire was going. Emma gestured for Jones to go down into the captain's quarters. The shaking of Jones's limbs though was more than Emma had thought and instead of hanging onto the ladder Jones ended up falling in a heap on the floor of her cabin right from the deck as if he were drunk. With a curse Emma thumped down after him.

The lanterns in her cabin were lit when she got down in her cabin and the stove was beginning to coax the cold from the room. Bae sat at her desk still wearing Emma's wet coat, shivering from the cold. She propped Jones, who was still spaced out and blue, up against the ladder before hurrying over to Bae.

"Thank you, Bae," Emma told him, easing her wet jacket from his thin shoulders.

"Is he okay?" Emma glanced back at Jones who was staring at the wall. She cringed. Jones looked ready to pass out.

"Eventually he will be," Emma replied. "Come with me." Emma motioned for Bae to follow her then led him out the other cabin door into the rest of the ship. She opened the door to David's room and ushered Bae in.

"This will be your room until I can get you set up on your own bed," Emma said, gesturing to the space. She'd left the lanterns lit in her haste to leave and find Bae so Bae was able to take everything in right away, eyes widening and a smile pulling at his lips. "Get changed, okay? That clothing is all yours. Set your clothes to dry on the hanger above the stove." Emma started the stove with a piece of flint and threw some chunks of wood in after the spark caught. "I'm going to go figure things out with Jones. Do you mind if I do that and leave you here?"

Bae shook his head. "No. I'll come see you in a bit. Once I'm done exploring."

Emma nodded. "Thanks, Bae." She turned for the door so the boy could begin to sift through his new belongings. She paused by the door, looking over her shoulder and smiling when she saw Bae running a finger across his new boots as if they were made of gold. "Welcome home, Bae." Bae sent her a blinding grin before she ducked out of the room.

Emma moved quickly back to her own cabin but stopped in front of the door, drawing in a few deep breaths before entering. Why couldn't she just control herself around Jones? Jones had said more awful things to her than good and yet she couldn't deny how drawn she felt towards him, how compelled and determined she'd been to save him both times, even though neither had been the smartest of decisions. There was just something about Jones. And that was annoying.

Emma opened the door and stepped into her warm cabin, sighing with relief. Her own clothes were soaked but she had a certain pirate to deal with first. Emma bent in front of Jones, grabbing his arms in her hands. The stump was covered in blood but getting Jones warm first seemed more important. Emma heaved Jones up walked him a few steps forward and settled him on a wooden chair.

"You're soaked, Jones," Emma murmured, pondering what to do. She wished Whale was on the ship but she didn't have time to go get him nor did she know where the doctor would be. Shivers wracked through Jones's body, the muscles of the pirate's abdomen tightening with the strain. Emma sighed, ran a hand over her face then looked back at Jones. "It's got to come off," she told him, motioning to the wet shirt. Emma waited for a few moments, hoping Jones would be able to do it himself. But Jones just kept staring ahead, every once and a while whispering_ my fault_ over and over again.

Emma reached forward and grasped the hem of the thin cotton shirt. She tugged it upwards, trying very hard not to look at what she was revealing. Which was_ very_ hard. Which it shouldn't have been. This was Jones she was dealing with for crying out loud.

"Why, Swan, you could have just asked," Jones murmured, full of insinuations despite his near hypothermic state, when she drew the shirt over his head. The fabric blocked Jones from seeing her roll her eyes. And the glance she made at the broad chest and expanse of chest hair. Her fingers ached to reach out and touch the soft black down. The tight abs and lean muscles made heat curl in Emma's stomach. Which was terrifying and confusing.

Emma ripped the shirt from Jones's head and stalked over to the stove, laying it across the warm metal top to dry. Moving away from Jones was the only way to dull the itch, the need to run her fingers across Jones, explore the panes of his body._ What is wrong with you, Swan?_ It hadn't been this hard not to touch Neal and she'd thought they were going to be together for the rest of their lives.

Emma pressed her forehead against the cold glass window near the stove, breathing out in a measured way, watching as her breath fogged up the glass in a circle that grew with each careful breath. Jones coughed, forcing Emma to turn back to the pirate whose lips were still a nasty blue.

Emma grabbed a few blankets from her bed and returned to Jones, draping the fabric across his trembling shoulders, refusing to let her eyes linger on him for more than a second at a time. Emma reached forward and grasped Jones's stump, pulling it towards her. She unwrapped the injury and tilted it so she could see where it was bleeding. A few stitches had been cut, causing the bleeding, but the injury didn't look awful. Emma stood and grabbed the roll of bandages she kept tucked under her bed after it had been left in her cabin from Jones's prior treatment. She cut the roll in half with her cutlass, balling some against the wound. Jones gasped at the pressure.

"Hush you baby," Emma retorted.

"You have the charm of a cobra," Jones replied softly. With the warmth of the room Jones seemed to be getting better. The shaking was certainly less. But there was still something not right with Jones. And Emma was determined to find out what that was.

"It was that charm that kept you alive."

"You should have let me die." Emma almost didn't hear the words. Before she could reply there was a knock on the door followed by the entrance of Bae. Bae came up and stood behind her wearing his new pants, sweater and boots along with his knit hat pulled down almost to his eyes even though they were inside and it wasn't needed.

"Who's this?" Jones asked as Emma tied up his stump with the other half of the bandage roll, the pressure having slowed the bleeding.

"I'm Bae," the boy answered as he moved to Emma's desk.

"Are you Swan's son?" Jones asked, making Emma look up. But her surprise wasn't because of the statement. It was because of the tone. Almost disappointed. Almost frustrated. Why would Jones care if she had a kid? But before Emma could set the record straight, Bae piped up.

"I'm her brother." Bae stepped closer, looking Jones over, taking in the pirate's bare chest and blanket encased shoulders. "Who are you?"

Jones smirked at Bae's forwardness, prior tone gone when he answered. "Killian Jones."_ Killian._ Interesting. Well, now she knew his proper name. Which was something she realized she quite liked. And didn't want to like. Emma pushed up from the floor and moved to the stove to put on tea, using the task to clear her mind of the uncomfortable thoughts.

"Are you a pirate like Emma?"

"Yes, lad." Emma poured some water out of a pitcher on one of the shelves into her metal tea kettle and put it on the stove to boil while she listened.

"Are you as good as her?"

Emma snorted and turned around. "Considering the amount of times I've saved his life, well-"

"I told you-" Jones started, looking down at his lap, frustration returning to his features. Emma knew what would come next._ You should have let me die._

"Can you go back to your room Bae and grab one of the shirts and a pair of pants from the chest in the corner for Captain Jones?" Bae nodded after shooting Emma a confused look, eyes flickering from Jones to her and back again. Even Bae sensed something wasn't right.

When Bae left Emma leaned against the desk and regarded Jones carefully, noting that the blue was gone from his lips and the shaking had stopped. "You're going to tell me about what happened tonight," Emma told him firmly.

"It's not your problem," Jones answered looking up at her. It finally struck her what was wrong with Jones's appearance. Those too blue eyes were practically dead they were so dull. Something had put out their fire. Emma didn't think she'd ever seen anything that looked so wrong.

"It is my problem seeing as I got involved and those men knew me." Emma wasn't able to supress the shudder at the thought of what those men knew about her. What they thought about her.

"Is your name really Emma?" Jones asked, startling Emma with the change in conversation direction.

Emma gave a sharp nod. "Yes."

"And what they said was true?" And then it made sense. Jones was questioning her honestly before deciding whether to be honest with her about his own past. This was a test of trust. And Emma needed to know about Jones, needed to know what kind of danger she'd gotten herself into. Which meant answering the questions._ Honestly._

"Yes." The word hurt her, something which Jones seemed to pick up immediately. Emma shut her eyes slowly and sighed before opening them again to see Jones still staring at her, blue eyes studying her as if she were a complicated formula.

Jones regarded her for a long while, sitting completely still. Finally Jones shifted and pulled the blankets tighter around him. "It isn't a story for children."

Emma understood what he was getting at. "I have all night."


	14. Not Affection

_A/N:_ Thank you all so much for your support. Tonight's update schedule will be a little different as I'm putting up two in a row. It's my way to thank you all for being so amazing. In my Soc. of Pop Culture class we were discussing OTPs and Fanfiction and some guy had nothing but bad things to say about fanfiction and those who write them which was annoying and a bit upsetting. But none of what he said was true- and you all prove that by being so supportive and by reviewing in honest ways which I try to listen to and I hope that shows by the way my writing has progressed (if it has? you be the judge). The fanfiction community is amazing and I'm so glad I found it. So that's my mini spiel. This chapter is more of one to set up Emma's feelings. I think the next one is the one you're all looking for. I thought about making it all one but the two chapters just didn't fit as one in my mind. I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma moved to her chest and pulled out a dry top, slipping out the door to exchange it for her wet one which clung to her skin rather uncomfortably. She would change around David, Robin and even Whale but the idea of even just taking her shirt off in front of Jones,_ Killian,_ was enough to make her stomach constrict in anxiety. Not because she would be partially naked in front of a man who barely knew her. But because of what he would_ think_ when seeing her. Emma pulled on the red button up flannel shirt and did up the buttons, closing the top one just as Bae appeared holding black pants and a grey shirt.

Bae handed the clothing to Jones while Emma hurried over to the stove where the kettle was whistling. Behind her she could hear the mattress and blankets rustle as Bae flopped down on it. She also heard the drop of fabric on the floor as Jones shucked off his pants._ Which was not hard to hear. Not tempting at all._

Studiously Emma measured then re-measured the lose tea she scooped from the canister on the shelf. Once she was sure she had the right amount of tea she moved back to the kettle and emptied the spoon into the boiling water. When she closed the kettle to allow the tea to steep and straightened she caught a glimpse of Jones in the window as he pulled his shirt down, the strong muscles of his back working and shifting as Jones used his good hand to ease his injured one through the sleeve. Heat curled low in her belly again.

_Get it together, Swan._ It wasn't as if she'd seen anything more private than what she'd already seen. She'd pulled the man's shirt off herself. Emma slammed her eyes shut, losing sight of the reflection, and stood like that until the rustling stopped and she heard Jones's grunt as he lowered himself back into the chair.

Emma opened her eyes with a sigh of relief, fetched three tea cups and measured out the tea. She grabbed two of the cups, handing the first one to Bae who took it tentatively, carefully examining the brown liquid before taking a small sip, and the next to Jones who had to let go of the blankets he gripped around his body in order to hold the hot cup. Emma returned to the stove for her own before sitting down on the bed beside Bae.

She eased back against the wall, grasping the tea cup between both her hands. She didn't know what to say. What she wanted to ask Jones she couldn't because Bae was still there, sipping his tea and watching Jones as if he were some sort of mixture between a wild animal and a hero, not sure whether to run from or flatter the captain.

She also wanted to know why she had the kinds of thoughts about Jones that she did. Emma hadn't felt that drawn to a man in well, ever. She didn't understand it. Wait- scratch that. She definitely didn't want to know why she felt that way. That answer would only lead to trouble.

"Do you have a ship like this?" Bae asked, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence that had descended on the cabin. When Emma looked up to see what Jones reaction was she made direct eye contact with said pirate, startling her. Jones had been staring at her while she had been studying her tea._ Why?_ Jones looked away quickly, focusing on Bae and leaving Emma even more annoyed at her earlier thoughts which were quickly joined by new ones about his observant blue eyes.

"Mine's a bit newer," Jones answered glancing around the cabin. "And larger."

"And in a few more pieces," Emma added earning her a smirk from Jones, though the expression wasn't quite real enough to hide the pain her words had also brought. Emma regretted her quip until she remembered the nasty things Jones had said to her about Neal. She'd just made a comment about The Jolly. To her that was pretty civilized in comparison.

"What's your ship's name?"

"The Jolly Roger."

Bae nodded approvingly. "That's a good name."

"Aye, lad. That's why I picked it." Bae grinned at Jones's answer.

"Do you know how to sword fight?" Emma raised her brow at Bae's strange question. Of course Jones could fight.

"Aye, lad," Jones answered again with a raised eyebrow. "Why do you ask?" Jones seemed to be just as confused as Emma was. Maybe Bae didn't know much about pirates. Emma pushed that thought away. No, Bae living on the street would have come across pirates and their stories. It wasn't as if Bae had led a sheltered life. There was another reason behind the question.

"Then why did Emma have to save you?" The amused look that Jones had been wearing crumbled into one of shame with an aspect of something that was a bit too much like when he had been in shock earlier. Emma's stomach clenched.

"It's late, Bae. How about I go get you tucked in?" Emma slid off the bed and set her and Bae's empty cups on the desk. After shooting a confused look towards Jones, Bae slid off the bed and followed Emma out of the cabin and to the other sleeping quarters.

"Did I do something wrong?" Bae asked as Emma turned down the bed and ushered Bae towards it. Emma didn't have to ask for clarification to know he was talking about Jones.

"Absolutely not," Emma replied as vehemently as she could. At her answer Bae threw his arms around her in relief. Emma stiffened at the initial contact but softened after a moment, wrapping her own arms around Bae,_ her brother._ "Jones just had a bad day. After I figure things out with him tonight we'll be fine. Tomorrow morning we can have breakfast and then you can meet my first and second mates and we'll explore the ship properly. Okay?" Bae nodded when he released his grip on Emma then sighed blissfully as he sunk back into the mattress. The pleasure in his reaction made Emma wonder how long it had been since Bae had had a proper bed. Or even a mattress or sheets.

Bae shifted to get comfortable before reaching his hand under him and producing the candies Emma had hid earlier. "What are these for?"

"For being my brother." The words were out of Emma's mouth before she realized it but she was satisfied with the answer anyways. Because it was true. Emma returned Bae's smile, grinning wider when Bae tucked the candy back under the covers with him as if they were teddy bears.

"Night, Emma."

"Night, Bae," Emma replied as she blew out the lanterns and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Emma returned to her cabin, pausing at the door when she noticed that Jones had moved and was pouring them both a second cup of tea by the stove. Her tongue ran across her lips as she examined the back of his head, hair mussed from the storm in a way that made Emma want to run her fingers through the dark tresses. Emma could handle sword fights and running a pirate ship. But whatever was developing inside of her towards Jones she could not handle._ Not even close._ All she knew was that the feeling, something so foreign and old that she couldn't pinpoint exactly, better not be affection. Because if it was, whatever mess she had gotten into with Jones tonight was going to be the least of her problems.

Emma cursed and stomped into the room, Jones whirling towards her holding a tea cup in his hand. Holding the china cup and wearing David's clothing Jones almost looked like the gentleman he kept claiming to be. Emma sighed as she shut the cabin door._ It was going to be a long night._


	15. Jones's Story

_A/N:_ Here's the second chapter! This isn't everything about Jones, just like Emma's chapter wasn't her entire back story. But I hope it's a good start! Thanks again for all the follows, favourites and reviews! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma sat on her bed after taking the cup of tea. Jones went back to the stove and retrieved his own cup before taking his seat again. Emma wasn't sure how to start the next conversation they needed to have because she wasn't sure what she was dealing with. She just knew that it wasn't going to be an enjoyable discussion.

Both sipped at their tea in a painfully awkward silence. Emma drained her cup and shuffled restlessly on the bed, torn between tangling herself in the striped blanket under her and staying upright and ready in case Jones tried something. And that was what was making Emma so restless in the first place. She didn't know if Jones was a danger to her or if she wanted to invite him into her bed.

Eventually Emma had had enough of her internal arguing and was getting too close to analysing what she felt for Jones. It was time for answers.

"Tell me what I got into tonight." Emma's voice cutting through the silence startled Jones who jumped, a few drops of tea spilling over the edge of the cup clasped between his hands. "What am I dealing with?"

With a sigh Jones put his cup down. "Those men are the same ones who were on the warship I attacked before we met."

Emma nodded, digesting that piece of information. "Revenge?"

"Aye."

"Something tells me there's more to the situation than that. They want you dead as well. The hate seems a little too mutual for a personal vendetta."

"I'm the final Jones brother. The set must be finished." Jones's mouth twisted in agony though he tried to keep his tone light. Was Jones on someone's hit list?_ But whose?_

"The men who attacked you, are they pirates? Or navy?" Just because they sailed a royal navy ship didn't mean they were in the king's employ. Jones's was a prime example of that.

"Pirates," Jones spit. The two sat in silence for a while.

"Jones, I know this must be painful but you have to tell me what is going on. Those men knew me. Who I was. That makes them a danger to both me and my crew. So tell me, do I need to leave town in order to protect my ship or will this all blow over?"

"My brother was killed almost three years ago." Jones's voice is almost too quiet to hear when he finally began talking. Emma leaned forward a bit. "We were both in the navy, Liam as Captain and I as his Lieutenant. Liam and I, along with our crew, were sent to retrieve a relic for our king, some secret thing that would reveal itself when we reached it. So we went. Before we got to the island we were attacked and Liam didn't make it." Jones closed his eyes on the name of his brother, his voice cracking like glass. "Along with my crew I was able to fight off the attackers and slip away by putting a cannon ball through their hull. I found out from a hostage taken before leaving that the pirates wanted the relic as they'd been trying for it for years after losing some previous chance at it and we were the perfect cover. That they were going to kill us, pose as the navy by taking our ship and take the relic from the man on the island expecting us."

"And then you turned into a pirate," Emma put into the silence, remembering the new captain she had met, had developed a strange truce with two years prior. That night must have been mere months after Liam's death. But that man wasn't the same one as the pirate sitting in front of her. "But something happened after that. What made you into this?" Emma asked, gesturing vaguely to where Jones sat slumped in the chair.

"A monster?" Jones asked, tone full of hate. The voice made Emma flinch. The cocky pirate was a façade. She saw that now that the mask was breaking. But what was underneath? What was left after all the pain?

"The man your_ reputation_ precedes," Emma clarified.

"So the same person?" Jones snorted. "I went after the captain and crew who killed Liam under the crimson flag as the navy wouldn't stand for my own vendetta. I needed to avenge his death. Liam, well, my brother was my everything. But the next time I found the pirate crew I wasn't alone. Milah, my first love- my only love- was with me. I was stupid to bring her but I couldn't stand to be parted. She was stabbed in the heart during the battle and died in my arms." Jones let his head sink into his hands with a body shaking sigh. The pirate's body was trembling again, but not from the cold this time.

Emma wasn't sure what made her do it but she slipped of the bed and closed the gap between them. She reached behind Jones, grabbing the blanket he had been using before it slipped from his body and wrapped it around his shoulders again. Her hand brushed against his exposed collarbone causing them both to gasp. Emma jumped back when Jones looked up, blue eyes locking with her own. Hand burning, she quickly got on her bed again, pushing her body against the wall and covering her knees with the striped blanket. Even that wasn't enough space between them to calm her pounding heart._ Stupid, stupid, Emma. Keep your distance._

"We barely got away again," Jones told her breathlessly, continuing the story. Emma could tell he was trying to pretend nothing had happened between them. And just like Emma, Jones was failing miserably. "And the third time I managed to hunt down the pirate crew, well they had finally gotten a navy vessel and-"

"That's when you lost your hand."

"I just want to avenge my brother and my Milah but every time I try something bad happens, I have something taken away from me. The people I lost, well, they were who made me who I was. Without them, I truly am the monster."

Emma surveyed the pirate who was determinedly not looking at her carefully. She'd certainly gotten herself into a mess. Emma had avoided pirate feuds since becoming captain- apart from the antagonism she harboured for Neal. They were messy and violent and never ended positively. But because she couldn't leave Jones well enough alone to handle his own affairs she had now found herself in one. And a rather tragic one at that.

"Those men aren't going to let what you did slide." Jones finally looked up at her. The self-loathing in his gaze had been replaced by genuine worry. That softened his features, made him look more like the Captain Jones she had first met.

"Nor you," Emma answered, tapping a finger against her knee.

"I believe I hardly matter anymore," Jones replied as if he'd never said anything more true. "You have promise. Captain Swan, the girl who battled her way out of, well whatever troubles you're keeping to yourself and what those men implied, to become one of the most well-known pirates in the realm. That's someone people look up to, lass. You have morals and values."

"Something tells me that somewhere in there, you do to." The hope and shock that filled Jones eyes for the briefest moment at her words before flickering out was enough to take Emma's' breath away.

Emma had a choice. So much she did was to reduce the red in her ledger, to help others in the ways she'd never been helped. It was what she did, along with pillaging and other expected activities her pirate captain title brought. She could run, save herself, leave port with her crew and hope Jones wouldn't be stupid enough to go after the crew that had so hurt him without proper planning or help again. Or, she could do what everything in her was screaming not to do. Usually that was the right option to choose.

"Tomorrow morning I'll get my officers. I'm mixed up in this now. We'll leave port as soon as possible as the repairs are not going to affect the ability of the ship and can be finished later."

"That's a good idea, Swan. Get out of this mess." Jones moved to stand, the blanket falling from his shoulders, but Emma held up a hand, stopping him.

"You're coming with me," Emma told him firmly, watching his mouth drop. "My crew and my ship, we can end this, get you closure. Your ship obviously won't be ready for months. Which means you're trapped here, where the crew knows exactly where to find you. On my ship you have protection while in Berkley and then on the open ocean we can defend ourselves."

"Why?"

"Because, I may have gotten Neal's ship but I never really got the closure for being betrayed for a bloody handful of gold. I'm never going to get closure with that because Neal and I, well, we're much better apart. And I'm okay with that. But I know what it feels like, to know Neal's still out there. To know that the scales are not balanced between us. I can help change that for you."

"But I'm_ Captain Jones._ I was awful to you while under your charge. I've done more harm than I know how to rectify." Emma shrugged, conceding that point before speaking.

"No one's completely innocent in this world. And maybe I still remember this new pirate captain who so charmingly introduced himself to me in this dirty little pub a few years ago." Emma smirked at Jones who was still looking at her as if she were not real. "So you'll take my assistance?" Eventually Jones's features settled into a different, unreadable expression and he nodded.

"Thank you," Jones breathed. Emma had never had someone use such a voice towards her before. Something so soft and awe filled. It warmed her chest and stung it at the same time. Both novel and interesting and unpleasant all at once, just like the weird draw she felt towards Jones. But that wasn't a phenomenon to figure out that night._ Or ever._ And especially not with Jones standing in front of her being undeniably and annoyingly handsome in a way that made Emma want to hate him. _Want. Not actually succeed at._

"Alright. The cabin you may stay in is two doors down as I do not suggest you leave this ship while it is still docked in Berkley. The cabin belongs to my second mate and should have everything you need. Good night, Jones."

Emma gestured towards the door and Jones stood fully. She needed her rest if she was going to face David and Robin tomorrow. If they didn't kill her, what she told them might actually do her officers in themselves.

"Good night, Swan." Jones stepped towards the door and paused, turning back to Emma. His mouth opened then shut a few times but nothing came out. Jones finally settled on a firm nod before stepping out of her cabin.

The only thing Emma could think about before sleep found her was_ David was going to kill her._


	16. Unintentional Liars

_A/N:_ Thanks for all the support! Here- have the start of something between our two favourite pirates!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma hadn't been asleep for more than a few hours before she was jolted awake by a screaming. That for once wasn't her own. It was loud and keening and terribly afraid. Emma sat upright, mind reeling as she tried to figure out who was screaming._ Who was on her boat?_ Then it hit her._ Bae._

Emma bolted out of bed and ran, bare footed, out the door of her cabin, nightdress swirling behind her. Emma skidded into Bae's room and stopped cold. Jones was standing just in front of her, about two feet away from Bae who was sitting up in bed crying.

Emma's hand immediately flew to her hip, looking for her sword which was on the floor of her cabin. Images of Jones doing something rash to quiet Bae flashed through her mind. "Jones, what are you doing?" Emma hollered before thinking through the impression she had of Jones when Jones took another step closer to Bae, raising her fists. She would bring the pirate down with her bare hands if she had to.

Jones looked back at her and furrowed his brows. "I was going to comfort the child?" Jones's face fell when he realized what Emma's harsh tone had implied. "I see I was mistaken in trying." Jones's voice was monotone and his eye's dull. Jones turned and swept out of the room without another word, eyes directed away from Emma.

Emma heaved a sigh, glancing backwards at Jones's retreating figure and slumped posture. She'd messed that one up but right now she had to deal with Bae who was still whimpering under the swan quilt.

"Hey Bae," Emma cooed in her most comforting voice. "What's wrong?" Emma sat on the bed beside Bae and rubbed his back a few times, the boy leaning into her touch.

"I had a bad dream," Bae murmured between sniffles. "That none of this happened and I got buried under a snow bank outside while I was sleeping."

Emma's heart broke at the words. She knew that type of dream well, has had multiple versions over the years herself. But there was no one there to comfort her when she woke crying. Though she did remember what she had wanted in those situations.

"You're here and you're safe, Bae. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"What if something happens to you?"

Emma kissed the boy's forehead. "Then my friends will take care of you. That's how this works. But don't worry about me. I meant it when I said I was a good pirate."

Bae gave her a watery smile and yawned, leaning heavier against Emma. Emma's hand fished around underneath the covers until she located one of the taffys. "Here, eat this and you'll have sweet dreams." Bae grinned at her silliness but ate the candy anyways, cheeks filled with spun sugar and colouring his lips green.

Bae lay back down and Emma covered him up again. "Sweet dreams, Bae," she called as she walked out the door and shut it behind her. In the hallway Emma paused. A clicking sound was coming from Robin's- Jones's- room._ Feet._ That's what it was. Jones was pacing. Emma cursed at her own stupidity, her own inability to think that anyone was capable of good things before turning towards the small room. She had to make this right.

The pacing continued as Emma tiptoed closer, her heartbeat picking up. She wasn't good at this. She wasn't good at apologizing and she certainly wasn't good at trusting. Jones probably thought she was a raging bitch now. Or worse, a liar. And all she could think about as she raised her fist to knock on the closed door was how wrecked his beautiful eyes had been at her words.

Jones didn't answer her knock. Emma sighed and hit the door again. Again no answer. But the pacing did stop so she knew she had been heard. Instead of knocking again she tried the door. It swung open to reveal Jones, standing in the middle of the room in the dark, body rigid. Even though it was too dark to see his eyes Emma could feel Jones's gaze running over her, making her extremely conscious of the fact that she wore nothing but her old nightgown.

"May I come in?" Emma asked, standing in the doorway.

"It's your ship."

At least Jones didn't tell her to get the hell away. Emma stepped in and let the door swing shut behind her, using memory to find her way to the table where Robin kept his lantern and flint. A spark lit the room before the wick caught with a hiss of heat. Emma adjusted the light, dimming it a bit so it was less stark before turning back to Jones.

"I'm here to apologize," Emma said quickly.

"Well, that's a relief," Jones bit, feigning wiping sweat from his brow. "I thought you were here to kill me."

Emma groaned and took a few steps closer so she could see Jones better. "I am sorry, Jones." Jones's blue eyes flicked away from her towards the small window as the cord of muscle in his jaw worked.

"Why?"

"Because-" Emma searched for the thing to say to make this right. True she did say those things to Jones because in the heat of the moment she thought the pirate might knock Bae out to quiet him. If one was to listen to the rumours about Captain Jones that really wouldn't have been such an off base guess. She knew that persona wasn't Jones. But she'd made him believe that she'd been lying earlier. Because she herself couldn't trust anyone being good. Not right away at least. It had taken David years to convince her of his trustworthiness.

"Look, Jones. I didn't mean what I implied." She bit down on her lip, waiting until Jones turned back to her. She wanted his full attention when she told him this because it wasn't something she said often or was willing to repeat. Jones's turned back to her, eyes empty and cold. "All my life I've been the brunt of bad things. I've been kicked around, taken advantage of,_ nearly sold._ I don't know how to trust because for most of my life I've never been valued by people for more than a handful of gold if I was lucky. People didn't trust me to be worth anything so I have a hard time with trusting people to be kind, or really just not awful. And I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. It was a knee jerk reaction."

Jones took a step closer to her, studying her carefully, the rigid purse to his lips softening at her honesty. Now the two were only half an arm's length away._ So close._ Emma felt her breath catch in her chest, which was just_ ridiculous._ This was Jones, some guy she barely knew._ Get it together, Emma._

"You're worth more than a handful of gold," Jones murmured, so quietly Emma didn't realize anything had been said at first. It was only the movement of his lips that alerted her to the sounds. Which then drew her gaze down to his lips, the bottom one wetted by a quick stripe along the rosy flesh by his tongue. Thousands of sparks lit in Emma's stomach at the movement forcing Emma to dig her fingernails into her palms._ Calm down, Emma._

"Don't say that," Emma replied shaking her head to refocus her. Not only did she not want Jones to say that because she didn't feel like it was true. But also because she was feeling_ other_ things._ A lot_ of other things.

"Why not?" Jones asked shocked. A tentative hand reached out and fingered a lock of Emma's golden hair as if it were more valuable than an entire chest of coins. Jones didn't make eye contact with Emma, as if he were scared to see reproach in her gaze at the touch. At least with Jones studying her sleep mussed hair so carefully she didn't need to worry about the pirate noticing how unsteady she was.

"Because I was just awful to you," Emma replied quickly, the speed of her words covering how breathless her voice had become while she tried not to visibly stiffen at Jones's touch. Or shift over so his fingers touched her cheek. Neither would have made the interaction any easier. Emma could almost feel the roughened pads of his fingertips against her strands. She almost wished Jones would touch somewhere she_ could_ feel. Just to see if her predictions about his fingers were correct of course. For research purposes only.

Jones let go of Emma's hair and sighed. "Why don't we call it even, Swan? Get the scales balanced again?"

"Okay," Emma whispered back, biting her lip in frustration. She didn't know what she wanted but she was pretty sure she wasn't getting it, whatever it was. Which meant it was time to leave. Because she was bound to do something rash to ease the ache inside her if she stayed in the tiny room with Jones any longer. "Good night, Jones," she said, stepping back towards the door as quickly as she could without looking as if she were fleeing.

"Good night, Swan," was the soft answer. Emma shut the door on those words and returned to her cabin and buried herself under every blanket she could find, as if the added weight would keep her in the bed and away from the confusing pirate.


	17. Plans

_A/N:_ Sorry for the lack of updates the last few days. It was homecoming weekend and I went out to the bars last night as part of the celebration (not great for confidence, especially when guys around here don't like pixie cuts and therefore ignore you.) So the muse was a little empty for a while. I'm too tired to edit it properly and I don't want to wait to post it. I'm having an OUAT night and rewatching the episodes before the premiere. But here were go again, the start of the action. I hope you like it! Thanks for all the support, follows, favourites and reviews. You guys make me feel so much better with your kinds words and actions!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belongs to ABC and the show's creators.

Footsteps on the deck woke Emma the next morning. She glanced out the window as she dug herself out of her blanket cave. It was later than she intended which meant the footsteps were August preparing for his work crew. Emma cursed when the memories of the previous night's events came flooding back and she jumped out of bed. She needed to stop August. The ship would be leaving that day- at least that was if David didn't explode at her idea and blow the side of the boat out in the process.

Emma yanked on a pair of pants and tucked her nightdress into the waistband before slipping her feet into her boots and climbing up the ladder. The deck was snow covered when she reached it, her boots slipping in the several inches of wet snow.

"You're here late," August greeted, standing beside the helm. A woolen hat was pulled down over August's curly brown hair and he clutched papers in his hands, plans for The Swan's work.

Emma turned to him with a smile. "I've got to talk to you. Do you have a minute?"

August's brow furrowed at her tense tone. "Sure, Swan. What do you need?"

Emma ran a hand through her hair. In the light of day her plan seemed even less plausible. She'd have to omit specific details so August didn't try to stop her. "I'm taking the ship out of port today. I'm doing a favour for someone who got himself in a bit of trouble last night and with it, me."

"Who?"

"The crew on the navy boat."

"They left through the night. The harbourmaster's furious because they were in the harbour proper and didn't pay their fees. Why do you need them?" August replied confused. Emma cursed._ Shit._ Where did they go? The ship would be faster than Emma's and could be leagues away, in any direction. Jones would be furious.

"Long story," Emma replied quickly. "But I need a favour. Can you please go get David and Robin for me? It's an emergency. Tell Marco we'll be leaving by evening and I'll be back as soon as this little problem's resolved for the work to be completed."

"Emma, what have you gotten yourself into?" August asked, taking a step closer, concern colouring his voice.

Emma shook her head. "Nothing you need to worry about. I'm a big girl, August. Now, I can't leave the ship because I've got to go talk to someone who spent the night so can you please go get my officers?" Emma dug around her pocket for a few coins. "Give this to David, tell him to bring breakfast. Get yourself something too if you're hungry." Emma tossed August the coins before turning on her heel and retreating back into her cabin before August had the chance to argue. She knew he'd do what she asked, they were friends. And she had to somehow break the news to Jones that the pirates had gotten away without anyone knowing where they went.

Emma shut the hatch to her ladder as she climbed down into her cabin, shaking off the cold that had seeped through her thin nightdress while she stood on deck. Emma toed off her boots before pulling on a sweater and leaving her cabin to go see Jones.

Emma stopped in front of Jones's door and gathered her nerve. Not only would Jones be furious. But, well, Emma still felt weird after the previous night, like there was too much left unsaid and_ far_ too much felt. Emma took a deep breath. She was Captain, dammit. She shouldn't be thrown off by one of her passengers. She_ wouldn't_ be. Before that confidence could slip away she knocked hard and fast against the wooden door.

A sleepy reply came through the door. Emma took that as permission to enter, slipping into the small room that had been so full of tension the previous night. Jones was under the covers, his head the only part peeking out from the blanket. Sleep mussed hair suck up in all directions and he leveled a lazy smile in Emma's direction. The hair did not make Emma's thigh's clench. And she certainly did not think of another way she could mess up his hair like that.

"Morning, Swan," Jones murmured, pushing himself up on one elbow as he shook off the dregs of sleep. His brows furrowed when he noticed Emma's nervous expression. "What's wrong?"

Emma took a deep breath before breathing in, bracing herself for Jones's response. "The pirates are gone. Sailed off in the middle of the night."

Jones bolted upright, teeth gritted together. "Are you serious?" Jones's voice was a deadly volume, angry in a way she wasn't use to be directed towards her. But also a tad desperate. Last night had finally given Jones some hope and within the night it was gone, the anger returned.

Emma nodded. "I've sent for my officers. They will be here soon. Get dressed."

Understanding and disappointment settled on Jones's face and he pushed himself up. "I'll be going then."

"Wait, what?" Emma raised her hands, stopping his movement. "Why are you leaving?"

"Well, obviously your crew will not like me to be here. It will be easier if I'm gone before they arrive."

Emma shook her head, finally understanding why Jones looked so upset and why he was so eager to leave. With the pirates gone Jones thought Emma was done with him. That because the easy solution had sailed off in the middle of the night Emma would quit. But she had plenty of experience with the hard way of doing things. She had given Jones her word.

"No, you moron. My officers are coming so I can tell them we're going after the pirate crew."

Jones's jaw fell. Emma supressed the urge to reach over and snap his mouth shut._ Or kiss it shut._ But she wasn't seriously considering about that option._ Especially not if David were to ask._

"You'll still help me?"

Emma nodded. "I gave you my word. I'm not a fan of people going back on their word." Jones's gaze softened and it looked as if he was going to say something that would definitely up the heated tension in the room. Emma turned and quickly moved back to the door. "Get dressed. Meet me in my cabin in five minutes."

"As you wish." Emma shut the door on those words, hurrying back to her cabin. She paused momentarily at Bae's door to listen for any signs that the boy was awake. Upon hearing silence she kept moving.

Once in her cabin Emma sat on the bed, waiting for Jones and her officers. Not only was she going to have to tell her friends about Jones but also about Bae. Ultimately it was her ship and therefore she got to have final say so they couldn't tell her no but Emma really didn't want to disappoint the first real friends she'd ever had. Not when they'd been so good to her.

The first person to join her was Jones, knocking politely before entering without permission. Emma had to grin at that- Jones truly was a gentleman pirate in every way. Jones had changed back into the clothes Emma had found him in the night before. In those clothes Jones looked less startling, more as she had come to know him which made it easier to be near. Though he hadn't fixed his hair. Emma suppressed a groan as Jones took a seat in the chair near the bed.

"You look as if you're about to go to battle, Swan," Jones said, breaking the silence.

"That's because I am."

"Will your crew truly be that furious?"

"Yes and no." Emma ran her fingers over the intricate stitching on the top blanket. "They want what's best for me."

"And I'm not that," Jones replied, volume almost non-existent.

"I've been in worse situations," Emma answered, forcing her voice light to try to break the tension his answer had created.

"Which means I shouldn't be putting you in anymore."

"Look, Jones. I don't need someone to protect me. The only person who saves me is me. I got the crew to mutiny Neal. I lived on the streets nearly all my life. Trust me when I say I don't need a knight in shining armour to ride me off into the sunset."

"Even if you deserve it?"

Emma scoffed at the soft words, ready to make a comment on how they were not very pirate-y in order to put Jones on the defensive rather than herself. But before she could answer her cabin hatch opened and David jumped down, followed by Robin and Mary Margaret. Robin held a box which Emma hoped was full of food. She just wished she had supplies to make hot chocolate. She had a feeling she was going to need that kind of hot drink for this meeting.

When David noticed Jones he drew his sword, the metal ringing filling the cabin. Emma jumped up immediately, putting herself between the two men.

"Stand down, David." Emma made her voice hard and forced David to look her in the eye. "Jones is here because I invited him." After a heavy sigh David stowed his sword. Though his hostile glare didn't diminish.

"Swan," Robin sighed, looking around the cabin. "What in the world have you gotten yourself into?" The raised eyebrow was more entertained than concerned. At least Robin wasn't already against her. Emma motioned for them to all sit, moving back towards the bed.

Mary Margaret and Robin joined her on the bed. David remained standing, leaning against the ladder, arms crossed. Emma rolled her eyes and took the box that Mary Margaret offered. She opened it, revealing a variety of pastries from a bakery a short walk from the Nolan's cottage. Emma took an apple Danish and passed on the box to Robin. Once the box had been passed around and the extras set on the desk everyone turned expectantly to Emma. She took a big bite of pastry to buy herself a few moments before she revealed the plan that would release chaos from her crew.

Emma glanced at Jones who gave her a quick nod before she began to speak. "Last night I helped Jones out with a little situation." Emma licked her lips, deciding to leave out the part about Jones's shock. Jones didn't deserve David thinking Emma had been put in any more danger than he already did. "I came upon him in the storm where he was cornered by two pirates who had a hit list with him on it. Jones knocked one of them out and I, well, I cut off the other's favourite appendage." Emma paused to take another bite of breakfast. Robin burst out laughing.

"As charming as always," Robin said after catching his breath. Emma slapped the back of her hand against his wool clad chest.

"Anyways," Emma started again when David looked as if he were about to start speaking. "The men are part of a crew that caused a lot of pain for Captain Jones. With his boat out of commission I offered ours."

"Why?" David asked, shocked. "You're safe, Emma. We could leave port, be done with this before it even starts. Emma, you don't deserve this kind of trouble. What could possibly make you want to be a part of this?"

"Because," Emma replied softly, shutting her eyes slowly. "I live every day knowing Neal is still out there. That he could come back for me, kill me, do the things he wanted to do before I arranged the mutiny. That isn't fair. But I'm not going to go after my revenge because Neal isn't someone I can be around anymore. This will be my closure. I know I'm- we're- good enough to catch this crew." Emma opened her eyes to see David watching her carefully. "I need this. Just as much as Jones." The soft intake of breath at the end of her words didn't belong to David. It belonged to Jones. But Emma couldn't force herself to look at the other captain. See whatever emotion was rolling behind those too blue eyes.

David turned to his wife and they exchanged some sort of quiet conversation before David sighed, exasperated but not surprised. "Fine. When do you want to leave?"

Emma grinned at him. "This evening. The crew will be compensated for the extra work and take their vacations once we finish. Rally the crew. Everyone is to be here by three."

"Is that all?" Robin asked sarcastic.

Emma chewed at her lip. "Actually-" Emma finally looked to Jones who nodded, understanding what she meant to tell her friends. Jones quickly left the cabin, David shooting Emma a confused look as the captain moved past him.

"Now what?" David asked. "How much more trouble can you have found in the few days since I've seen you?"

"Not trouble," Emma corrected as the door swung open and Jones entered, leading a sleepy looking Bae. Mary Margaret gasped softly at the sight of the child, mothering instinct kicking in immediately. Bae looked around, instantly suspicious that these people were here to take him away or otherwise ruin the safe twist his life had taken. Emma put her arms out and Bae hurried to her, climbing onto her lap and pressing against her chest as if she could hide him.

"Everyone, this is Bae. Bae will be under my care from now on."

"Hello, Bae," Mary Margaret cooed, putting her hand out for Bae to shake. Bae took it after Emma nodded to him.

"Hi," Bae replied quietly before quickly pulling his hand back and folding it against his chest.

"You're allowing a child on the ship?" David asked. "Swan, this life is dangerous."

"So is one on the street," Emma barked back, unconsciously tightening her arms around Bae. David started at her harsh words, looking between Emma and Bae a few times before nodding.

"I trust you."

"Thank you," Emma replied, smiling at her friend.

"Well, I have a lot of work to do. See you later," David nodded to the group before turning and climbing up the ladder. Mary Margaret smiled once more at Bae before following her husband out of the cabin.

When they were gone Jones crossed the cabin and grabbed a pastry from the box before bringing it to Bae. Bae took it, grinning widely at the pirate before taking a large bite from the sweet food. It shocked Emma at how fast Bae had warmed up to Jones. It was just another part of Jones that she couldn't comprehend.

"What about your crew, Jones?" Robin asked once Jones had taken a seat again.

Jones looked to Emma for guidance. "My ship has its own, specially selected, crew. I will not risk strangers."

Jones cringed a bit. Emma knew he was thinking about that night two years ago when his crew had nearly attacked her. "Of course. I'll go see Smee now and order him to look after The Jolly's repairs while I'm gone." Jones rose and moved towards the ladder.

"Robin, go with him. Just in case some of the crew is still left in town."

"I'll be fine, Swan," Jones drawled giving her a funny smile.

"Maybe," Emma answered lightly. "But my ship, my rules."

"Best listen to her, mate," Robin added, standing and moving towards the ladder as well. "Life's easier that way." Robin started up the ladder, without waiting to see if Jones would follow.

Jones looked at Emma carefully. "Thank you for not telling them everything," Jones said when Robin's feet had hit the deck, whispering so Robin wouldn't hear through the open hatch.

Emma knew what Jones was implying- the shock, Liam, Milah, a lifetime of pain and vulnerability and failed revenge attempts. "It wasn't my story. Now get moving. I'll need you back earlier than three to help figure out which way is the best to go to find this crew. Can you do that?"

"After two years of hunting, yes. I can do that." Jones started climbing the ladder, pausing halfway up. "Thank you again, Swan."

Emma waived him off. "Put away the gentleman. Today's a pirate day."

"I'm always a gentleman, love," Jones answered with a wink. Emma rolled her eyes, supressing a grin at the line that she was quickly beginning to see as_ theirs._


	18. Captain Hook Near Miss

_A/N:_ So this took a turn I wasn't expecting but I'm quite pleased with it. I hope you all like it! Thank you all so much for the support and encouragement you've given me during this process. I don't think I've ever been a part of a more amazing community! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma dealt with Marco while Bae was eating breakfast. The expert carpenter, who, while disappointed that Emma was leaving and especially concerned about the reason behind her departure, at least didn't try to stop her. Emma returned to the ship immediately after settling her account and work order, unable to stand the look on Marco's face any longer. It wasn't that Marco didn't recognize Emma as a grown adult who captained her own vessel and could make her own decisions. It was just that Marco knew vaguely about Emma's past and just really didn't want to see the past repeated.

Emma spent the rest of the day showing Bae the ship. If the boy was to come with her she wanted him to be aware of exactly what living on a ship entailed. Emma herself knew what a change it could be from living on the streets to the confined space of a ship. Bae didn't seem to mind that much, which was a relief for Emma. Bae especially loved the crews' quarters and the idea of sleeping on a hammock because that was what_ real_ pirates did in his opinion. So Emma made a deal with Bae- the boy could have a hammock for the mission with Jones as there was no time to procure a proper bed before departure and David and Mary Margaret would need their quarters back. But as soon as they were finished Bae was to move into a proper bed, no matter what pirates were_ supposed_ to do. Bae helped Emma hang a spare hammock in her room- she wanted Bae where she could keep an eye on him, especially if the nightmares returned- finishing just as footsteps crossed the deck to the hatch for the captain's quarters.

Emma stood, hand going to her cutlass as the hatch opened. She positioned herself in front of BAE who took a seat on the hammock. But the worry wasn't needed as Robin entered, looking as if he knew a very amusing secret. Before Emma could ask what was so funny or if she should hide or find a helmet Jones dropped down. Emma immediately knew what Robin has on about.

Where that morning had been Jones's stump, bandaged in bloody gauze, was now a leather brace with metal grommets attaching a hook to the covering structure_. A hook._ A shining, pointy, lethal weapon was hanging from Jones's arm. It made Jones look fierce and unmistakably dangerous. When Bae saw it he gasped and physically stiffened. Emma suppressed a groan at the pirate's idea of an appropriate replacement hand before turning to Bae.

"Go with Robin and get some food, okay?" Bae nodded and followed Robin out of the cabin. When the boy had left Emma raised her brow at Jones.

"Seriously? You scared Bae. You couldn't have found something a little more subtle- like a meat cleaver or mace?"

Jones looked her over with a dry expression, clearly unamused with her sarcasm. "I'm a pirate, love. Best they remember it."

"I don't think anyone could forget. You are_ Captain Jones_ aren't you?"

Jones's jaw tightened and the light in his eyes dimmed. "I truly am the monster now."

The cabin fell into a tight silence. Emma hadn't meant it that way; at least she didn't think she had. But that reputation was such a major part of Jones's personality that it was hard to avoid or at least not hint at, purposely or not.

Emma moved towards Jones, tentatively, as she had just offended him. She couldn't say she hadn't meant that. Because Jones_ did_ have a nasty reputation and anything she said to correct her slip would seem hollow. But actions might not. And she had to make this right.

When Emma was only a few steps from Jones she put her hand out, palm up. Jones watched her, confusion warring with the anger in his eyes. Emma flicked her eyes between the hook and her hand until Jones noticed. Jones shook his head and drew back; moving to hide the hooked apparatus behind his back, shame replacing the tension in his expression. Emma lunged, grabbing the edge of the hook. Jones jumped in surprise, ripping at his arm. The cool metal tip of the hook bit into Emma's hand and she let out a little shriek, drawing back herself.

Jones looked in horror at the hook, the tip now coated red. Emma glanced at the slice across her palm. It was shallow, the cut more a surprise than painful. It would heal quickly. She shrugged and rubbed the cut skin against her pants to remove the blood before looking back at Jones.

Jones was slumped back against the wall, looking at the hook with revulsion. The utter self-hatred in Jones's eyes made Emma's throat close. Emma cursed herself. She had tried to make Jones feel better. Not make him feel worse. Emma moved closer.

"You were right," Jones whispered, lip curled as he examined the sharp point at the end of his arm. A droplet of blood fell to the floor.

Emma knew right away that he was talking about the earlier monster comment. Emma let out a frustrated breath. This had all backfired so badly.

"You're no more a monster than I am a whore," Emma told the other captain fiercely.

Jones looked at her properly now, the hook dropping to his side. The light of Jones's eyes hadn't returned to its usual brightness but there was something else there now. Something deep and swirling. Something that blew his pupil wide. Jones moved forward from the wall, closing the space between them.

"_Don't_ call yourself a whore."

"Then_ don't_ call yourself a monster," Emma replied, voice hushed to a whisper. It was as if Jones's proximity had stolen all her air.

Jones's eyes flickered down to Emma's moving lips, his tongue darting out to moisten his own. Emma didn't miss that. Or the way Jones had leaned another few inches in.

_So close. Too close._ Jones's warm breath brushed across her cheeks._ Not close enough._ Just another few inches of movement and she'd be-

A delighted squeal rent through the air as Robin swung Bae down into the cabin. The two captains leaped apart, panting heavily even though they hadn't actually done anything. She tried to quell the heat rising in her cheeks as Robin followed Bae into the cabin carrying a box that smelled as if it carried lunch. Robin looked between the two captains and raised a brow as he sat the box down on the desk. Emma ignored her second mate and_ certainly_ didn't look at Jones.

Bae hurried over to Emma, holding out a handful of taffys just like the ones she had given him. "What are these for?" Emma asked, letting Bae pour the candies into her hand, thankful for the distraction.

"I wanted you to have sweet dreams too," Bae replied simply.

"Looks like she already is," Robin muttered. Emma shot him a glare.

"Robin, why don't you go make sure the crew's quarters are prepared. Or maybe clean out the bilge with your toothbrush?"

Robin grinned back at her, waggling his eyebrows. "Sure. Don't you crazy kids do anything I wouldn't do while I'm gone." Emma grabbed the pillow from her bed and hurled it towards Robin who neatly dodged it and hurried from the room, barely able to breathe around the loud laughs he was producing.

Emma moved to the box of food and began taking out what Robin had gotten them. Dinner rolls and corned beef and a wedge of cheese were all packed into the box. Emma fished the set of plates she had for taking meals in her cabin out of a cabinet and set them next to the food.

"Come eat," Emma said, still not looking at Jones. She felt as if she might explode, or melt if she did. Even thinking about him made her cheeks flare hot. Emma helped Bae get a plate of lunch before taking her own and moving to sit on her bed, facing Bae. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jones move to get his own. Emma busied herself with her food when Jones turned back around and moved past her. She didn't look up from her plate again until Robin returned, though she had felt Jones's heated gaze fall on her numerous times over the course of lunch.

When Robin returned he began taking the maps out of storage and spreading them out on the desk. Bae left to go pack up his things to move to her cabin while they discussed navigation. "Do you know where the pirate crew we are chasing would go?" Robin asked, motioning for Jones to come examine the various maps.

"Yes. The crew has a home base they always return to. It's where the do a lot of their trade business. If I had to hazard a guess at where they would go to reconvene after the incident here with Swan I would say there. But you don't have maps of the area," Jones added, puzzled, as he rifled through the papers.

Emma stood and moved over to the desk to look at the maps herself. Robin had taken all the maps out of the cupboard. Where could Jones possibly be planning to direct them?

"Where is this mystery location?" Robin asked, equally as confused, using a hand to further spread out the maps in case Jones had missed one.

"Seaport." Emma stiffened. Blackness started seeping in around the corners of her vision. She stumbled backwards, reaching for the bed before she passed out and embarrassed herself. Robin noticed her distress and moved with her, sitting down beside her and taking her hand.

"What's wrong?" Jones asked, looking up from the maps when he realized the other two had moved away. "Seaport is a large town and major trade center. I would have expected you to have a map to there. Why not?"

"Because I burned them," Emma forced out. Robin tightened his grip on her fingers.

"What? Why?" Jones moved towards them, taking the chair near the bed and leaning forwards. Emma pushed herself back on the bed, needing space. She didn't think she could speak and deal with the emotions Seaport brought back while being close to Jones.

"Because that's where I lived before here." She hadn't returned since she had boarded Neal's boat. Once becoming captain she'd destroyed the maps as her first order of business, stating that no job they ever took would take them back to the port that held so many memories for Emma.

Realization dawned on Jones and he immediately looked remorseful. "I can't ask you to take me there then," Jones said quickly, valiantly trying to hide the disappointment that he would have to wait again for his revenge.

"Damn right," Robin answered firmly.

Emma shook her head. She had given her word. She would do this. Maybe seeing Seaport again and not being at the mercy of its inhabitants would be the closure Emma needed. Maybe this trip would be as beneficial for her as it was planned to be for Jones.

"I'll take you."

"Emma," Robin said at the same time Jones gasped out a stunned,_ "Swan."_

"No. We are going to Seaport. That's final. Jones, can you give Robin coordinates for the journey? I'm going to go check the rigging before we leave. Make sure the storm didn't hurt anything." The last part was mumbled in her haste to escape up the ladder.

Emma gasped in the cold fresh air when she had surfaced and moved towards the central rigging. She grasped onto the rope with shaking hands and pulled herself up, climbing towards the crow's nest. She needed the space, the freedom the open air brought, to escape the memories of her life before The Merciless Swan. She didn't even come down when David and her crew began arriving. Robin would fill her first mate in. She wasn't in the right mindset to face her overprotective friend yet.

Instead, she curled up against the mast, tucking her legs into her coat for warmth, and forced herself to doze off, because at least asleep she could escape the memories that made her shake and lose the ability to control her thoughts. Asleep her dreams were filled with replays of the near kiss she had experienced earlier. At least that fear was easier to deal with than the Seaport ones.


	19. What If

_A/N:_ So I just hit 100 followers last night. You guys are awesome! Thanks for all the support.

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

"Hello, Sunshine." The mild amusement in David's voice when he woke Emma from her restless nap on the crow's nest did little to mask the underlying strain tightening the words. Without even having to look at David she knew he had been told everything. And he didn't approve.

Emma pushed herself upright, shoving her hair from her face. The long strands practically one big mat from the sea wind. Emma glanced around, taking in the open sea The Swan was currently cleaving a path through while she gathered her nerve to talk to David. Emma had to have been asleep up on the platform for hours. Land was far behind them and, if memory served Emma correctly for sailing in the area it would be days before land would be seen again. The sun was setting, the water reflecting the pink and amber stripes of sky like a mirror, softening the harsh glare that usually ricocheted from the wave surface.

"We left port more than four hours ago," David put in leaning against the mast with feigned casualness.

"Why didn't you come get me then?" Emma asked as innocently as she could manage. She wanted Dave to bring up Seaport. She didn't think she'd be able to on her own. She could barely think the name let alone say it aloud.

"Figured you needed the rest but when you didn't come down for dinner we started to get worried. Thought maybe you'd blown up from stupidity or something." And there it was. David had turned to her while speaking, eyes boring into the side of her head. Emma refused to look away from the sea. At least it didn't think she'd completely lost it.

"I gave Jones my word," Emma replied in way of an answer.

"Emma, you do realize where this ship is headed?"  
Emma turned to David, anger flashing at his thinly veiled accusation. She met his strong gaze without flinching. "_Of course I do. Of course_ I know that if I go back there and am recognized that I'll not be recognized as a captain but as a common bar whore._ Of course_ I know that Neal still frequents the town, still has contacts that could inform him of my whereabouts. I know all of that. But I also know that Jones deserves this and can't do it alone."

"You don't have be Jones's saviour."

"Never said I was," Emma bit back. "I'm doing this because I want to. Not because I feel obligated to."

"Why do you want to help Jones of all people?"

Emma shrugged. The answer to that question was something she really didn't want to address, let alone say aloud. If she even knew the answer. Though she was pretty sure she did. But only in the rare moments she let herself be vulnerable. "I guess Jones reminds me of me."

"Of you?" David snorted. Emma ignored the incredulous tone.

"Yeah, of me. I'm not some redeemed street orphan that has nothing wrong with her anymore. I've got a dark past, memories that still haunt me. I've done things I'm not proud of. Not even close. I may not have lost as much as Jones but that's just because I never had any of that to begin with." Emma blinked rapidly, trying to force the tears away. She turned her face into the wind when blinking didn't work and let the air blow the tears dry.

David's eyes softened when he noticed the glassy quality Emma's eyes had taken on. "I'm sorry, Emma. I just worry."

"I know," Emma answered, shifting over to lay her head against his shoulder. "But please let me do this. I need this to prove that I'm over everything Neal did to me. Or at least show myself that I can get over it," Emma corrected herself wryly. David chuckled, jostling her as he moved against her.

"But if it gets too much we pull the plug. Done. For good. No matter how far into this we are. Deal?"

Emma nodded. "Alright. Deal." Upon her agreement David moved away from her and lowered himself down over the edge of the platform.

"Okay, then let's go get you some supper and into a proper bed."

"I should take the night shift," Emma argued as she followed David down the rigging. She was captain after all. She had dragged her crew off their vacations early for a mission that was not beneficial for any of them. And she'd spent the entire start of the trip hidden away on the crows nest trying not to lose the tenuous grip she had on her control. It was time she started acting like the captain she claimed to be.  
"Not happening. Robin's taking care of the helm tonight. Today you had a lot of emotional stuff come at you in a short amount of time. Resting and taking tonight for yourself will do you the world of good. Tomorrow you can start work again," David called back.

Emma huffed out a breath but didn't argue further. Because David was right. She still felt shaken. She had buried the memories of Seaport for so long that she forgot just how hard those memories were to acknowledge. And it was Bae's first night on the open water. She really should be around to make sure her new brother slept soundly.

Emma climbed down into her cabin, David right behind her. The cabin was empty when she got down into it. The maps that had been brought out that morning had been put away, only a sheet with hand drawn directions and coordinates left on her desk. She ignored the paper, still not quite ready to see exactly how the ship was going to reach Seaport, and sat down on her bed. If she saw the directions she was afraid she might burn them. She pulled her blankets up over her legs to ward of the chill that had permeated them while up on the mast. Bae had moved in his belongings during the time she was up in the rigging, the clothing piled underneath the hammock and the swan quilt draped over it. But Bae was nowhere to be seen.

"Bae's in the galley with Mary Margaret having supper," David told her, answering the question in her eyes. Emma nodded, settling back against the mattress. She shimmied out of her pants and removed her sweater, leaving her in the nightgown she hadn't bothered taking off that morning. David grinned and took the clothing from her, packing it back in the chest on the floor. "I'll have supper brought to you as it appears as though you don't want to go with me."

Emma shrugged and made a show of snuggling into her blankets. Resting had been his idea anyways. David laughed, waving her off, before leaving the cabin. Emma watched the sun set through her cabin window, the sky going inky blue, while she waited for David to return. The ship creaked gently, the wind not strong enough to do more than have the waves lap at the hull. It was a music Emma had grown very fond of over the past eight years. Even when she wasn't captain the ship still created music to her, maybe because the groaning of the wood reminded her that she was surrounded by walls, that she had shelter. That musical reminder only became stronger when the ship came under her direction.

A knock on the door brought Emma out of her reverie. She called for the person to enter, turning in the bed to see who had been sent with her dinner. David wouldn't have knocked, not when Emma was expecting his return within minutes. The cabin door opened to reveal a solemn looking Jones whose hand balanced a plate of food. Emma pushed herself upright and turned to face the pirate captain.

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked confused. She reached for the plate despite her puzzlement, starving from her afternoon spent in the fresh sea air. She inhaled the scent of beef stew and dumplings before spooning a mouthful in. She ate while she waited for Jones to reveal why he had brought her food rather than David.

"I came to make sure you were okay," Jones said, pulling the chair closer to the bed before taking a seat. Jones leaned forwards a bit, elbows braced against his knees.

"I'm fine," Emma answered briskly, embarrassed that Jones was worried about her. She could understand why David worried, or why her other officers did. They knew her, knew about Emma's past. But Jones didn't know much at all. To Jones, Emma should have just been Captain Swan, the pirate captain who had offered her services to complete a revenge mission. But he saw her as something else. Something more. Something new. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. And that was unnerving.

"You and I both know that's a lie, lass."

"Oh really?" Emma answered after swallowing a mouthful of potato. "And how's that?"

"You're an open book," Jones answered with an easy shrug. Emma rolled her eyes as an answer. They sat in silence for a few more moments as Emma continued to eat, the stew warming her from the inside out. "Which means I know that today has been too hard on you. I really didn't intend to put you through such discomfort when I took you up on your offer."

"Well I should have hoped not," Emma answered, trying to inject some levity into the conversation. Jones didn't bite on the attempt. Emma sighed. "Look, Jones. Don't worry about me. My officers do enough of that already. They forget that I'm not some damsel in distress. I will be fine."

"But you aren't fine_ now_," Jones replied, raising a brow and catching her with her own words.

"Maybe not, but that's my problem, not yours."

Jones regarded her carefully, blue eyes narrowing as he studied her face. After a few moments Jones appeared to decide something and opened his mouth to speak, leaning forwards even more as if he were about to reveal a secret. "What if I want it to be my problem?"

Emma started, her heart hammering against her chest. It took all her willpower not to scream. Why did Jones have to go there, have to rekindle the tension that seemed to permeate the air whenever they were together? She had finally settled down from the near miss earlier and now Jones was stoking the flames of lust_- really, Emma, lust? -_ again. How was Emma supposed to rest when Jones constantly,_ irritatingly,_ made her heart rate spike?

"Then I'd tell you to please take my dish back to the galley and send Bae to bed." Emma held out the dinner plate and her fork to Jones. With a sigh, barely hidden exasperation making the sound harsh, Jones stood and took the offered pieces of crockery.

When Jones reached forward and grasped the plate his thumb brushed across Emma's own thumb, painting a gentle stripe across the knuckle. Heat raced out from where Jones had brushed against her, her thumb burning so hot that Emma half expected it to start melting off from the rest of her hand. Emma yanked back her hand as soon as the burn started, surprising Jones and causing him to nearly drop the dirty plate and utensil.

"Good night, Jones," Emma said, looking away from the pirate and back out the window. The pearly moon had climbed up from the horizon while she had eaten. Emma's voice was strained, as if she were trying to speak and hold her breath at the same time._ Get it together, Swan._

"Good night, Swan," Jones answered in as equally an uncharacteristic voice before hurrying from the cabin. Emma buried herself under the blankets with a groan._ What had she gotten herself into?_


	20. Learning By Example

_A/N:_ I'm not sure what the general consensus was on the last chapter as there were only two reviews (thanks to you two) but hopefully if it was a little slow this one will be more exciting and what you would like. Let me know if there's anything I can do to improve the story! Thanks for all the support! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma rose early with the sun. It was time she got back to work. Bae was still curled up on the hammock, a slight curve of his lips making Emma's copy the motion with her own. Bae had slept well considering it was his first night on a moving boat. It had taken the boy a while to go to sleep, wanting Emma to regale him with all her pirate stories, but eventually the heaviness of his eyelids had won out and Bae had been out since then.

Emma dressed quickly, carrying her boots in her hand instead of putting them on right away. She left through the door of the cabin, climbing up through the hallway to reach outside so she wouldn't let any cold in the cabin by opening the hatch she normally used. Emma trusted that Bae would know where to find her when he woke or would at least ask one of her crew members for proper directions. She really couldn't shirk her responsibilities as captain anymore by waiting until Bae woke. Once at the ladder for the deck she slipped her boots on and climbed up.

She surfaced into the dim blue light of morning. The air was crisp, not yet overly cold, just hinting at winter. It was a relief from the storm that had buried the deck while in Berkley. Breathing in the salty air Emma moved towards the helm where Robin stood, eyelids heavy after a night of work0.

"I'll take over. Thanks for last night," Emma said, waving him from the wheel. Robin took a step back, allowing Emma to move in front.

"It was a hard day for you."

Emma was about to brush the statement off but she shut her mouth before she could. Robin was right and there was no point in pretending otherwise. She didn't have to be strong around Robin. Not after all the years they had known each other for. "But it's over now."

"I truly hope so," Robin answered, patting Emma's shoulder. Robin moved past her with a small wave before disappearing below deck. Emma adjusted her stance and grip on the wheel and readied herself for several hours of steering the ship. She didn't mind that kind of work at all. Being up on the helm in the rising sun was nearly as calming as being alone on the crow's nest.

Over the span of the next two hours the deck continued to grow busier as the crew set about their various tasks. Several of the newer deckhands started scrubbing down the deck with pails of salt water. With the snow of the last few days the melting fresh water would decay the wooden deck boards if allowed to linger. Washing everything down with salt water made a sort of seal on the wood.

When it was nearing noon Bae's blonde head popped up from below deck and he rushed over to Emma's side grinning and carrying a small cutlass. The blade had been in the weapon's store room before that morning if Emma's memory served her correctly. David followed behind the boy looking rather amused. At least now Emma knew what Bae and her first mate had been up to all morning.

Bae whipped the sword through the air a few times, clumsily trying to lunge towards Emma in a fake attack. "David said you'd teach me how to use this," Bae informed her, waving the blade around.

Emma chuckled, looking towards David. David was a far better fighter than she was and would have made a much better teacher. "Oh really?"

"Why wouldn't Bae learn from his sister, the famous pirate captain, Emma Swan?"

Emma rolled her eyes at the comment but found that she couldn't deny Bae the wish. Emma nodded, stepping from the wheel which David latched in place. The course was straight for at least two more hours so the wheel would be fine left where it was.

"Come on then," Emma chuckled as she stepped down from the helm's platform and moved towards a clear space on the deck. Emma drew her own cutlass, holding it out in front of her to show Bae the proper grip.

Bae followed her, skipping slightly with excitement. When he tried to copy the movement Emma smiled and chuckled lightly, moving forwards. "You're gripping it too tightly. No need to choke the sword." With her free hand she adjusted Bae's fingers, loosening the grip. "There, that's better."

Bae nodded and studied the way Emma had curled his fingers around the hilt, committing the arrangement and tightness to memory. Once satisfied that he could remember the proper position Bae straightened and held his sword out to Emma, waiting for the next step.

"Okay, follow my lead." Emma swiped her sword through the air, slowly, copying the way she would if she were fighting off an assailant. Bae followed, laughing giddily before he realized that sword fighting was serious business and therefore should involve no laughing. Emma bit back a grin at Bae's suddenly furrowed brows and pursed lips.

Emma showed Bae the proper form for a lunge, parrying away from Bae so she could fully extend her arm forward. When she turned back to Bae she realized not only were David and Bae examining her but also Jones. Jones must have come above deck while she was distracted. A shot of nervousness moved through her at the sight of the other captain, watching intently off to the side. Jones raised an eyebrow at Emma and nodded approvingly when he caught her eye. Emma tried her best to not blush. Emma had fought many battles. Who cared if Jones thought she had skill?

Bae caught the quick look between the two pirate captains and bounced closer to Emma. "Emma, I have an idea."

"What?" Emma asked, instantly suspicious. She didn't like the mischievous glint to Bae's eyes. Or the way he was looking between Jones and herself, as if measuring them both up.

"The best way to learn is by example right?"

David caught on before Emma or Jones did, nodding quickly and moving towards Bae. "That's very true, Bae. What did you have in mind?"

"Emma and Captain Jones should spar. Pirate Captains should be good fighters, right?"

"Aye," Jones intoned, amused. "Renowned as such, young lad." In all honestly David was a better fighter than Emma, more experienced and stronger. But Emma carried the title. And Bae hadn't seen both of them fight to know there was a marked difference in their skill level.

"Will you fight Emma then?"

Jones looked up at Emma and ran a tongue across his bottom lip at the same time one eyebrow moved higher. That look should have been illegal. Emma tightened her grip on the cutlass's hilt so the metal and leather bit into the underside of her fingers, focusing her. "It's up to your sister. What do you say, Swan? Shall we put on a show?" Emma looked over Jones. The hook at the end of his stump shone in the midday sun. A cutlass hung from his hip. This was not a situation she had counted on finding herself in. But she couldn't very well say now and expect to hear the end of it.

"Alright," Emma replied. Jones's eyes glittered at the prospect of a duel with Emma. "But only one round."

"Scared I've got more stamina than you?" Jones asked, tone dripping with a double meaning. One that made her roll her eyes and curl her toes at the same time. Emma was very thankful no one could see the latter response.

"I highly doubt it," Emma answered coolly, earning her a grin from Jones and an uncomfortable scoff from David. "More than one round with me? You couldn't handle it."

Jones drew his sword and jumped forward with a speed Emma hadn't expected. She raised her sword immediately, following Jones with the point as he approached her like a predatory animal. Emma shifted up to her toes, sensing she'd need to be able to move quickly when Jones struck. At least Jones was keeping the hook down so she needn't worry about that at least.

When Jones struck it was hard and fast, forcing Emma back a step while she got a handle for Jones's abilities and strength. While Emma couldn't out muscle Jones she could beat him with speed and craftiness. Emma dodged sideways when Jones swung again, ducking out of the way and swinging her sword as she ended off to the side, knocking the flat side of her blade against Jones's shoulder. Bae giggled and cheered. She could feel David's proud gaze on her as Jones cursed and readjusted himself.

Emma shot Jones a smug smirk as she waited to begin again. Jones swung in a wide arc and Emma parried the blow, lunging forward when the blades came apart, a steel ringing filling the air. Emma swung first next, Jones shifting backwards so Emma's sword met no resistance and she moved was forced to move closer, losing her balance. She quickly recovered, remembering David's lessons from years ago, just barely dodging the hit Jones had aimed for her arm.

The dance continued across the deck, moving backwards and forwards across the deck in front of the helm. Jones would have the advantage and move the two fighters one way but Emma would soon win it back and force Jones to backtrack. Bae cheered for her and called out encouragements whenever she was able to outwit Jones and take back the lead.

Sweat began to pour down both their foreheads. Emma was glad she'd stipulated only one round. Because with the effort each of them were expelling she was almost certain a second round would be sloppy and probably end in someone getting hurt by mistake.

Jones backed Emma up for what must have been the twentieth time. Her arms were screaming and by the look of focus and gritted teeth of Jones the feeling was mutual. This time instead of moving straight across the deck Emma was forced back at an angle, moving more towards the main mast and away from the helm. Instead of watching her feet Emma concentrated on trying to win back the upper hand. She knew that tactic had been a mistake the moment her foot caught in a coil of rope and she was knocked flat on her back.

Emma managed to keep her sword pointed towards Jones as she panted on the deck, trying to fill her lungs with the air that had been knocked out of them when she'd hit the hard oaken boards. Jones stood over her and using his hook and sword as a trap, moved down Emma's own blade, nearing her chest.

"There are other activities I prefer to do with a woman on her back," Jones murmured as the pirate lowered himself over Emma. She kept her face blank, even as Jones's warm breath brushed over her skin. "When I stick you with my sword you'll feel it." Oh, the tone Jones used should have been outlawed.

Emma's skin crawled with heat. Jones's eyes blew open wider and grew darker the closer he got to her. When Jones finally reached the hilt of her cutlass his face was mere inches from her own. The rest of the deck and the people on it faded away. The only thing Emma could easily see was the blue eyes boring into her. Jones sucked the edge of his bottom lip into his mouth, grinding one of his front teeth against the rosy flesh. Emma ached to pull the bitten lip in her own mouth, move her lips against Jones's and see if he was as good at kissing as his words and tone implied.

Jones lowered himself a little closer to Emma until she could literally see nothing other than his face. And really, she wasn't sure she wanted to see anything other than the little scar cut into Jones's cheek, the messy scruff painting his jawline, the strands of black hair, damp with sweat. It was all so overwhelming. Jones was so close Emma knew she was breathing in his exhale and he hers. She could practically taste the pirate captain.

"This is a much more preferred activity," Jones whispered. Jones's eyelids drifted shut and Emma knew what was next. It would be so easy to give in. But David was there, watching, judging. As was her crew. She would not let them think she was some sort of romantic young girl with no other notions to fill her head but that of kissing. No. Emma was a pirate captain. She looted and pillaged and defied law for a living. She was no silly girl.

The fingers of Emma's free hand closed around a small wooden pulley that was laying on the deck from where a line to the main sail had been changed and not yet cleared away. She tightened her grasp just as Jones's lips were close enough to brush over hers should she react. She could actually feel the soft flesh against her own mouth as Jones breathed, waiting for Emma. Capitalizing on Jones's distraction and moving before she could actually kiss the captain properly she swung out, pulley in hand, cracking the object against his temple.

With a groan Jones fell to the side, unconscious. Emma scrambled up, heat reddening her face when she caught the suspicious look on David's face._ David knew._ Maybe he knew even more than Emma did. Briskly Emma walked back towards the helm, sheathing her sword.

"Have Jones brought below deck to recover," Emma barked curtly as she freed the wheel from the latch holding it in place. When no one moved, the people who had gathered to watch staring at her, some in shock, some with amusement- including Robin- she snapped again. "That was an order."

A mumbled apology was issued from the crew and as Emma took over control of the ship again Jones was moved below deck._ Risky, Emma._ Now people knew. Or thought they knew what was happening between the two captains. Emma would just have to be more careful in the future not to stoke the rumours any farther. She vowed that that fight would be the first and last of ones she'd have with Jones, especially if they were to end in a similar fashion again. Because next time she might not be able to knock Jones out. Next time she might not_ want_ to.


	21. Nightmare

_A/N:_ I hit 100 reviews for the last chapter. That's so exciting, especially since this story is very different from my two others and has been growing in followers at a much slower rate. So thank you for the support. If you've read my other stories I'm sure you can tell that I like to use nightmares as a plot device. Maybe it's the psych student in me but I really enjoy writing scenes that involve nightmares. I wanted to get this chapter up before the premiere which is actually today (I'm posting at 2:04am so sorry for any editing mistakes, I'm tired) so I'll see you all again as soon as I can after this long anticipated episode, probably sometime early in the week. Enjoy the premiere! Anyways, I think you guys will enjoy this chapter...

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma avoided Jones like the plague for the next week after their sword fight. She couldn't be around him without the heat curling in her belly. It was just too overwhelming. The kiss had almost been too real and her want was already far too real. Spending time around Jones was risking the same thing happening again. Which she didn't think she could handle.

Emma worked in her cabin when Jones was above deck, pouring over maps and catching up on log entries, and gave him jobs to do with some of her crew whenever she was on deck at the helm. As long as Jones stayed away and didn't make eye contact with her she would be fine. Which Jones didn't seem to realize, or didn't care about, because on numerous occasions Emma had caught Jones's eye while trying to subtly spy on the dashing captain and been given a saucy wink or a far too soft smile in return. They were making for port the next day to stop for the night and restock before one more week of travelling in order to reach Seaport.

Because she was avoiding Jones she had also begun to take more night shifts which Robin was excited about even though he saw right through her little charade. At least Robin hadn't made any comments about it this time when Emma relieved him at sundown. Usually they were a little too sassy and a little too correct for Emma's liking. Nighttime was the easiest time to have a designated time free of any chance of having to interact with Jones.

She had been standing at the helm for several hours already that night, the moon high in the clear winter sky. Emma rolled her shoulders to get the stiffness out of them. She only had a few more hours to go before she would be relieved by David and could go crawl into her warm bed and stay there until The Swan neared port.

A cry burst through the air making Emma jolt against the wheel in surprise. The sound seemed to be coming from the crew's quarters, reaching Emma above deck through the main hatch for below deck. The cry wasn't a scream but more of a sob. It was full of pain and anguish, desperate in its keening. Emma locked the wheel in place and hurried to the hatch, jumping down without hesitation. If one of her crew was in distress she needed to be there, no matter what her skills at comforting were.

The crew's quarters was already lit with lamps when Emma landed in the room. A group of men were crowded around a bunk in the corner, muttering among themselves. The muttering carried a tone of shock, not the usual empathy an incident such as this would normally garner. Emma wracked her brain to see if she could remember a recent incident among the crew that could have resulted in the lack of empathy for a fellow sailor. Emma hurried over, pushing her way through the crowd until she reached the crew member's hammock.

Emma stopped short when she reached the strung up bed which was rocking violently. It was the hammock that had been assigned to Jones. Jones's eyes were scrunched tight as the keening cry continued to escape his lips. Head thrashing Jones was pale and his muscles were rigid. Emma didn't think she'd ever seen someone in so much pain from a dream and she was known to have rather vivid ones of her past as well.

"Is Jones crying?" one of the crewmen gasped.

Emma bent to Jones, examining his face in the dim lamp light. Sure enough a single tear was tracking its way down his cheek.

Emma turned back to the crew. "It's sweat. Can't you see he's having a nightmare? Don't look for trouble where there is none," she barked. Under the guise of attempting to shake Jones's shoulder Emma ran her thumb along Jones's stubbled cheek, picking up the wetness with the pad of her thumb. Jones turned into her touch.

"Liam, I'm so sorry," Jones moaned. Murmurs erupted again from the crew gathered behind her. Jones would be devastated if the crew heard any more of that story. She turned back to her crew and stood, hands on her hips.

"Back to bed, the lot of you," Emma snapped. "I'll not have you all standing around, yapping like a flock of crows." There was a muttering of_ yes, Captain, sorry, Captain_ as the crew dispersed. Emma bent to Jones again and shook his shoulder more forcefully.

"Liam?" Jones whimpered again as he began to surface from the nightmare. Another tear dripped down his face.

"No, Emma," she corrected. The use of her first name without question surprised Emma but it felt right in the moment. Emma wasn't a name she ever said freely, especially not without consideration. She brushed away what that might mean and focused on Jones again.

"Swan?" Jones murmured, eyes slowly opening. As the events of the past few minutes and the dream began to register Jones's eyes grew wide and horrified. Emma knew some of the crew would still be watching from their own bunks. She couldn't leave Jones with them after they had witnessed such a vulnerable moment. Even Emma felt that it was too personal for herself to witness and she knew the story of Jones's brother.

"Come with me," Emma replied in a whisper, helping Jones out of bed. Jones was shaking a bit in her grip but was still woozy enough from the dream that no fight was put up against her. Something which she was very glad about as that would have caused another scene and she didn't think she could cover for Jones in that as well. Emma bent, still holding onto Jones and grasped the long black leather coat that was folded on the floor.

Emma guided Jones above deck, never removing her hand from him. While they climbed the ladder she kept one on his back, as they moved across the deck towards the helm she grasped his elbow. She knew she was breaking the rule she had made for herself after the sword fight but Emma knew what she was doing was right. She needed to comfort Jones, whether that was something that scared her or not. That realization made the whole thing much easier, if not a little shocking.

When the two reached the helm Emma sat Jones down and draped the leather coat over his rigid frame. Emma ached to rub the hard lines from his shoulders with her fingers, to soften the tense jaw muscles with her lips but instead she just sat down beside Jones, looked up at the stars, and waited. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Jones brush that second tear from his cheek, not even trying to be subtle. But for Jones's sake she pretended to be oblivious to the movement.

"I dreamt about Liam's death again," Jones started quietly.

Emma nodded. "I figured as much. That's why I brought you up here. It was none of the crew's business."

Jones turned to her then but Emma kept looking at the sky. "Thank you, Emma."

The use of her first name, this time from Jones made her turn, out of sheer surprise. Jones's blue eyes bore into her own and she knew he was seeing things that she didn't want him to see. And she almost thought she could see the same thing in his own eyes. "It was only right," Emma answered as casually as she could.

"You seem to do a lot of things for me because you feel they are_ only right._" So Jones did understand things she didn't want him to. And the captain saw right through the façade she was trying so hard to project.

"So?"

"So," Jones answered slowly. "You and I both know there's more to it than that."

"So?" Emma answered again, earning her a huff that was both amused and exasperated at the same time from Jones. Just because she couldn't seem to hide her feelings from Jones didn't mean that she had to admit them outright.

"Swan, I know I'm not alone in this." Jones didn't need to explain what_ this_ was. "So I know this whole thing must be as strange to you as it is to me. I didn't think this could happen to me again. Not after Milah. Not after everything I've done. But when I first saw you in that bar two years ago you caught my attention even though we saw each other for only one night. And then, that first time we nearly kissed, it was then I realized why I felt so strange around you. Why I acted so strange around you. It's because I'm falling for you, Swan, hard and fast." Emma bit back a gasp. Jones's tone was so sincere and soft that it made her throat close around a lump. She had never had such a tone directed at her. So loving-_ wait, no-_ she wouldn't think of it like that. It was too soon. She was too- "Do you feel strange too?" Jones asked, interrupting her whirling thoughts.

"No," Emma exploded after a moment. Jones's face fell. Emma forced herself to swallow the panic and speak normally again, or at least not yell. "I don't feel strange. I feel scared. Because I may be falling too." Emma's voice had gone from a yell to a whisper. Jones leaned in closer to hear her better, intense gaze never leaving her own. Just like in the sword fight his breath brushed across her cheeks which she was sure must have been bright red after admitting that. "I'm scared because this shouldn't be happening. Not after everything. This kind of thing is too painful. It can never work out. Not with me at least. I'm a waste of your-"

Jones cut Emma off with a kiss. It was sudden and caught her off guard. It had been eight years since she'd been kissed but even then the kissed were never so tender. Jones's lips moved against Emma's stiff ones, trying to tempt her into reciprocating. Emma stiffened under the touch until her body was screaming at her to give in. Jones leaned his forehead against Emma's in a movement she knew was leading up to him giving up and she sighed. She didn't want Jones to stop kissing her even though everything about the situation was screaming at her that she'd only get hurt. But Jones had been different than the reputation, completely unexpected. Maybe that meant Jones could be different than Neal and everyone else who had ever hurt her too.

Emma opened her lips and began to kiss back. A low growl rumbled against Emma's mouth. The sound went straight to her belly, sparking something that had been long dormant. Emma pressed against Jones's lips harder, opening her own. Jones's tongue brushed through the opening and Emma growled back, drawing a chuckle from Jones. Jones's hand crept around Emma's back, pulling her against him. She looped her own arms around Jones's neck, fingers tangling with the nightmare induced sweat dampened hair.

The two broke apart when the need for air became too much. They parted, panting. Jones's pale face had grown flushed while they were kissing. Emma's heart thumped at the slightly disheveled and completely wreaked appearance. She had done that. To Jones. Because she wanted to.

_She had actually wanted to._

Jones shot her a tentative smile which Emma returned, much to her surprise. She should have been running. She should have been hiding. She should have been panicking. But she wasn't._ Not yet, at least._ Because she felt safe and comfortable next to Jones. Maybe she would feel different in the morning but for now she wasn't going to run. She could figure out what their conversation and kiss meant for them later.

Emma stood and unlatched the wheel. Jones sighed, defeated from his position on the deck. Emma looked down at him before realizing what, what she had done must have looked like. She had stood up without saying anything. It must have appeared to Jones that she was brushing him off._ Come on, Emma._

"I could use some help navigating," Emma told him quickly, her voice more breathless than she would have liked. It was the first thing she could think off and had just blurted it out, wanting to take the defeated look from Jones's expression.

Jones's eyes lit up as he stood, gesturing towards the expanse of moonlit ocean in front of them. "As you wish, Swan. As you wish."


	22. Most People

_A/N:_ I struggled quite a bit with this chapter but I hope it turned out alright. Also, I'm now taking drabble prompts. I wrote one last night (Deserved Cold) and will be writing more when my schedule calms down (it's midterm season.) So, if you have any, send them my way. Thanks for the support. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belongs to ABC and the show's creators.

Jones leaned against the helm as Emma stood a foot or so away, hands gripping the wheel, more to keep her tired bones upright and less to keep the boat straight. She'd been up the entire night and she'd be lying if she said the whole thing with Jones didn't exhaust her even more. She wasn't used to having to be, well, any form of intimate. It was stressful and the close monitoring she was doing of herself was enough to make her want to sleep for several weeks.

Jones seemed to sense this and backed off, staying quiet but offering his presence in however Emma could take it. She didn't regret kissing Jones and she wished she could reassure him of that. But the words wouldn't come. The silence was so much easier.

The sun rose while they stood together, the quiet only interrupted by the lapping of the winter sea against The Swan's hull. Emma sighed, David would be up very soon to relieve her. And then that night she would get to spend at port, a whole night's sleep without having to worry about getting up for a shift at the helm. Maybe that night would be good for figuring out what last night had meant. What Jones meant to her.

"Swan?" Jones asked, breaking the silence. Emma started and turned to him, stifling a yawn with her shoulder. "You're exhausted. Go to bed. I'll watch the ship."

Emma shook her head, fingers tightening on the wheel. "I'm fine."

Jones's face fell, confusing Emma. "I won't steal your ship."

A surprised sound fell from her lips before she could stop it. Emma let go of the wheel and moved closer to Jones, desperate to take the sadness from his face. Because she hadn't meant it like that. "I know you won't," Emma said softly. "It's not that." She took a deep breath. "It's the principle of it. I'm captain. I need to act like it."

Relief flashed across Jones's eyes as he understood Emma's fear of rejection. The speed of the insight on Jones's part startled her. She didn't know how that could have been possible. "Your crew loves you, they won't think any less of you."

"But I will," Emma answered honestly, turning back to the wheel. She gripped the wheel, Jones's eyes burning holes into the back of her head.

Twenty minutes later David surfaced from below deck. He looked between Emma and Jones, eyes narrowing as soon as he saw the two of them, exhausted and together at the helm._ Crap._ Why couldn't it have been Robin taking over? Robin wouldn't go all parental on her. Just mock her mercilessly. She knew by the way Jones side eyed her that he had seen her stiffen as she attempted to figure out how to brush this situation off as no big deal. Emma opened her mouth to say something but Jones stepped forward first.

"I was just delivering the new coordinates to Swan here. But as you are taking the next shift I'll give them to you." Jones nodded to Emma with a formal finality. Emma saw the way out and stepped past the two men, dropping down into her cabin with a sigh of relief. Jones knew her too well already.

Bae was asleep in his hammock, blanket pulled up around his chin. He looked so peaceful, asleep and safe in the cabin. Emma pulled her boots off as quietly as she could, pushing them underneath her desk. Her nightgown was calling her name, begging her to join Bae in a peaceful oblivion. She grabbed the nightdress from her chest, fingering the soft material. Quickly, as Bae was still asleep, she changed, putting her clothes in the chest as she pulled on the well-worn nightdress.

A few moments later a knock sounded on Emma's cabin door. Emma sighed, exasperated; she just couldn't be left alone. She turned and hurried over to it, eager to get there before another knock came and woke Bae. Jones was standing on the other side of the door. Emma did not miss the way Jones's eyes flitted across her body, practically seeing through the thin off-white material. Emma swallowed her blush and shot Jones a clearly unimpressed look. At least Jones had the decency to look bashful in return.

"May I come in?" Jones asked, almost timidly.

"What do you need?" Emma asked, not quite ready to step out of the way yet.

"I thought you might like some tea before bed to warm you up."

Emma appraised the suggestion and Jones. Jones looked sincere. There was no sign of an ulterior motive in his eyes. But could Jones_ just_ want to make Emma tea? Nothing else? Jones hadn't pushed her on deck and they had been alone there so maybe the claim was true. But Jones needed rest too. Why would he want to do this for Emma when he was exhausted himself?

"Is that a no?" Jones asked, forced lightness an attempt to hide the tense clench of his jaw._ Jones actually wanted to do this for her._

Emma sighed and stepped aside. Tea would be nice. Jones shot her a grin and entered, Emma shutting the door behind him. She rolled her eyes in return but left out the sass that normally would fill the action.

Emma sat down on her bed while Jones brushed past her and started making tea. The process went fairly smoothly, Emma watching, entertained and secretly touched, until Jones attempted to do too much at once and a metal mug clattered to the ground, a casualty of the hook. Jones cursed loudly, body immediately going rigid.

Bae shot up with a cry, startled from his sleep. Emma hurried over to him, squatting down in front of the boy and taking his hand, squeezing reassuringly. Emma hushed Bae who glanced around the cabin wildly, looking for the source of the loud clang. Emma followed Bae's gaze when the boy relaxed, looking towards Jones who had turned his back to the two of them, good hand forming a fist he was valiantly trying to hide behind his coat._ That was not a good sign._ Bae seemed to miss that, just pleased that he knew who had so abruptly woken him up.

"Bae, would you like some breakfast?" Emma asked, drawing attention back to herself and away from the obviously distraught pirate. "I had night shift so I'm going to take a nap before we reach port but I can get you breakfast first if you'd like."

Bae considered her offer before shaking his head. "I'm okay to go by myself. Real pirates can get their own. I'll go find Mary Margaret. She'll be in the galley to have breakfast with."

Emma laughed at Bae's reasoning as the child jumped off the hammock. She also understood Bae's desire for independence. The boy had lived on the streets for years. No one had taken him down the hallway to make sure he got breakfast alright then. Even the smallest actions of care could be overwhelming coming from such a lifestyle. Emma stood, ruffling Bae's hair before the boy grabbed his boots and hurried out of the cabin and to the galley.

When Bae had disappeared Emma moved towards Jones. She wanted to reach out and run a hand across the rigid shoulders, so stiff they seemed as if they would break. But she didn't think either of them could handle that. Instead she picked up the fallen cup and placed it back on the desk before moving around to look at Jones.

She cringed when she saw Jones, teeth working furiously at the inside of his cheek, eyes stormy and dark. "It's okay," Emma reassured him, her voice soft.

"It's not okay. I can't even make you tea." Why did being able to make her something so simple matter so much? It was just tea. She hadn't even asked for it.

"But I don't need you to make tea. I'm a big girl, Jones."

"If I can't make you tea, what else can I do for you?' Jones turned away. The tea kettle began to whistle and Jones set to work trying to finish the tea, slamming items against the little metal stove in the process. Emma caught a cup before it could skitter off the desk when it was hit by the hook again as Jones turned to get it. Jones cursed loudly at himself. "I shouldn't have said anything about us last night. It wasn't fair to you. I can't even make you tea properly. How can I look after you if we're together?"

Emma didn't let the word together freeze her up. Jones's heart was breaking and Emma found that hers was too. The desire to take away the pain overwhelmed the fear. "The ability to make tea isn't actually on my list for important qualities, you know." Emma filled both cups with the brown liquid, handing one to Jones. "I don't remember that coming up in last night's conversation as a prerequisite."

"But you need a man."_ Who can take proper care of you._ Emma knew what wasn't added on to the end of that statement. "Not a monster with a hook.'

Emma shot him a frustrated glare, shoving her hand against his chest. "You_ are_ a man, you bloody big moron. And I don't_ need_ a man. Trust me. Men have only brought me trouble. So trust me, you being here with me, well, that's something that should never have happened with my past. And it definitely has nothing to do with your ability to make tea." Emma stormed away from him towards her bed. She got in it and under the covers, huffing in anger the whole time.

Jones didn't turn to her until she was settled, half her tea drank. "I'm sorry, Swan." Emma raised an angry brow in answer. "Liam-" Jones's voice broke on his brother's name. Emma found herself softening slightly, despite herself. Jones took a deep breath and plunged onward. "Liam told me that I always need to take care of women, to be a gentleman. I tried with Milah and I failed her. I'm just trying to make Liam proud." Jones turned his gaze to the contents of his cup, face scrunching up in a mixture of anger and desolation.

Emma brushed a hand across her face. The poor, lost man, trying to live up to his brother's standards with his brother no longer around to tell him he had succeeded. No wonder Jones always felt like a failure. Emma wasn't sure anything she could say would change that right now. The only person who could use words to make this better was lost to Jones. But maybe actions could help. She shifted in bed, moving closer to the wall to make space.

"Come here, Killian," Emma told him softly. Jones looked up sharply at the use of his first name, wonder starting to replace the sadness in his gaze. Emma patted the mattress beside her.

"I don't want you to feel pressured," Jones answered, uncertain, quiet. Jones's eyes roved over the thin material of Emma's nightdress, something she'd forgotten she was wearing in the tension.

Emma gave him a bland look. "I'm not inviting you over here for_ that_." Jones laughed wetly, running the tip of his tongue across his bottom lip. Emma almost wished she was inviting him over for_ that_ after that little movement.

Jones nodded after a moment and moved towards her, settling gently on the bed. Jones didn't touch her, instead sitting a few inches away, practically perched on the edge of the small bed. The two continued to drink their tea in a silence that wasn't uncomfortable but wasn't exactly tension-less either.

When both had finished their tea Jones deposited both of their cups on the desk, returning to the bed after Emma nodded that it was alright for him to do so. This time Jones did settle against her, just the lightest of touches. Again, Jones looked towards her for confirmation that what he was doing was alright.

Emma pulled the quilts up over them both as an answer, surprising herself. She had actually given Jones permission to sleep in her bed. She was losing control of her protective walls and it was all Jones's fault. She hadn't shared a bed with a man since Neal. It made her heart thump hard against her chest. Just like last night had been the first kiss in over seven years, this had been the first intimate contact. Not that they were actually going to do anything other than sleep in the same bed.

Without waiting to see Jones's reaction Emma laid down, turning on her side towards the wall and forced herself to fall into a much needed sleep.

"David is going to_ kill_ you." A delighted and mischief filled voice rang through the cabin. Emma lifted her head up with a groan, confused as to why someone was yelling when she'd barely slept three hours. Robin was staring at her, hands on his hip and eyebrows climbing right into his hairline.

Emma shifted so she could push herself up. As she moved she found herself held against something. Another body._ Jones._ Emma cursed loudly, launching herself out of bed. She stumbled when she moved, Jones's arms, the hook having been removed and placed on the ground, wrapped around her waist. With a tug Emma detached herself. Jones groaned at the lack of content, rousing himself as well.

"You saw nothing," Emma hissed, hand balling in Robin's shirt.

Robin's eyes darted between Jones who was sitting on the bed and Emma standing in front of him. Emma's threat held no fear for him. "Oh, no. I saw a lot of things." Robin shot her a grin. "We're at port by the way. Winds were strong and favourable."

Emma huffed in anger, grabbed a pair of pants and a sweater along with her boots and took off into the hallway. She pulled the clothing on as she hurried towards the ladder. Going that way gave her enough time to get dressed before appearing. Once on deck Emma nodded to David and motioned off the ship. Sure she was using the need to go sign in the harbourmaster as a way off the boat and away from the mess she'd just found herself in but David didn't need to know that. At least not yet. If she went fast enough she could be well out of the way before Robin came and found David.

Emma hurried up the pier, eyes narrowed on her destination of the red office building on the other side of the docks. The wind blew off the water, chilling Emma in her thin sweater._ Damn Robin and waking her up so awfully._ She picked up the pace, arms rubbing at each other to try and bring some heat back to her skin. But she'd rather take the cold then be around David when he found out Emma had shared her bed with Jones.

"Swan," a shout reached her._ Jones._ Emma didn't stop, hurrying towards the office. "Come on, Swan." Jones caught up to her, good hand looping around her shoulder and pulling her to a stop. Emma whirled towards Jones.

"What?" she demanded. Jones let go immediately and held out a coat._ Emma's coat._

"You left without it. I wasn't sure how long you'd be gone for." Emma took the coat, biting at her lip. Jones had come after her because he was worried she would be cold. What ever happened to Captain Jones- the man who was known to ransack entire fleets at once?

"Thank you." She slipped on the coat, sighing at the warmth it brought her immediately. Emma looked back up at Jones who was regarding her cautiously. "I'm sorry for snapping," Emma told him softly.

"I shouldn't have fallen asleep with you," Jones answered.

"No, I invited you," Emma said, starting towards the office again. She walked slower though so Jones would know she wanted him to go with her without ever having to tell him. After a moment Jones caught up with her, falling into step beside her.

"Then why did you do it if it upset you?" Jones was confused and it was starting to bring out a frustrated facet to his voice.

"It's what Robin saw that upset me." Jones glanced over at her, waiting for Emma to clarify. They hadn't actually been doing anything that should have upset her crew. "David is very protective. He'll have my head and then yours."

"But we were just sleeping?"

"David doesn't think anyone is good enough for me."

"Especially not a pirate like me," Jones murmured, finally understanding. Emma grabbed Jones's hand, holding tight to get his full attention.

"I'm no more innocent than you, Jones. David just seems to forget that."

"So you're not ashamed of being caught with me?" Jones asked as they stopped in front of the office.

No. She wasn't ashamed. She had invited Jones and Emma didn't do things that she didn't want to do. Not now that she had the agency to make her own decisions. She had wanted the closeness with him. Jones drew her in like a moth to a flame, a pull she was helpless to resist. She should have known this was going to happen right from the start, back in that pub. People just didn't catch her attention the way Jones did, especially not people who by reputation should have been nothing but trouble for Emma. "No. I'm just scared," Emma answered, looking down at her feet.

"I won't hurt you, Emma," Jones said softly, removing his hand from hers and using his rough finger tips to push her chin back up. "Not everyone wants to exploit you."

"Most people do."

Jones bent and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "I'm not most people," he whispered, lips brushing against her own as he spoke in such a close proximity to her. "Can I prove that to you?"

Emma chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment before nodding. "You can try."

"As you wish," Jones answered, turning from her and opening the office door to allow her to enter first, gesturing grandly for her to do so. Emma rolled her eyes but stepped inside anyways.


	23. Proof

_A/N:_ This was one hard chapter for me to write. It seemed to take forever to happen. Hopefully it's alright and you all enjoy it. This chapter and the next one (or two) are the calm before the final storm so I hope you enjoy! I'm too tired to edit now (it's 12:33am here) but I'll hopefully have time to take a look at it later. I scanned it so hopefully it's fine. Let me know what you think of what goes on in this chapter! Also, thanks for all the reviews, favourites and follows, they really do inspire me to write faster (it's nice to be reminded that people read what you write and look forward to the next bit). Thanks!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma left Jones after she finished securing The Swan's berth. Jones claimed he had so,e errands to run. Emma was a little put out by that, though she pretended not to be, quite successfully in her own mind. Jones went the opposite way of her, giving a quick and shallow bow that was just grand enough to make Emma blush as she rolled her eyes.

Shaking her head Emma moved back towards the ship to collect Bae. She wanted to show her brother around the seaport as she assumed Bae had seen nothing of the realm past Berkley. She also didn't want to spend the say on the ship where she would be easily found by David or Mary Margaret. David needed some time to cool down before she dealt with that mess.

Emma boarded and quickly crossed the deck, dropping into her cabin. The crew had all dispersed into the town or were below deck so she managed to do it without being caught. Emma landed with a light thud, the heels of her boots clicking against the floorboards of her cabin. Emma pushed the hair from her face and looked towards the hammock hung against the far wall. But it wasn't Bae waiting for her. It was David and Mary Margaret. Emma barked out a curse.

David raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. Emma groaned in return. David motioned for her to sit. She flopped back on her bed. Emma couldn't even look at the barely masked glee radiating from Mary Margaret's eyes, which she was valiantly trying to hide behind concern. Obviously the couple was on opposite sides of the issue.

"Shall we begin?" Emma asked, unable to hide the petulance in her tone. She felt like a four year old being reprimanded for taking the last cookie. "I have plans with Bae today and I'd rather not spend our only day in port before Seaport in a battle with you."

David sighed. Mary Margaret supressed an amused grin. "How could you?" David finally asked.

Emma raised her brow. "I didn't do anything."

"You slept with Jones."

"Yes,_ slept._ I didn't do anything scandalous. We were both tired. And I invited Killian into my bed."

"But it's_ Jones._"

"And I'm_ Swan,_" Emma bit back, eyes flashing.

"Jones will hurt you."

Mary Margaret sighed and put a hand on her husband's leg, quieting him. "Emma, we don't mean to attack you. We just want what's best for you."

"And I can decide that for myself." Emma sighed. "You've trusted me to lead you and decide the crew for the past seven years. Trust me on this one. Jones isn't who you think he is. Let me feel this one out on my own."

"Feeling it out is exactly what I'm worried about," David mumbled. Mary Margaret swatted him before turning back to Emma.

"Okay, we'll trust your judgement. You're an adult, Emma. We just want what's best for you."

Emma nodded. She understood that even if she got a little snippy with them on occasion. "Thank you. And if you two end up being right, well, I'll allow you to say I told you so."

"Good," David replied but he smiled as he said it. David rose and kissed Emma's forehead. It was times like this that Emma really felt as if she were their child who had been undeservedly and unexplainably promoted to a higher rank. While that frustrated and overwhelmed her at times, sometimes it just made her feel warm. This was one of those times.

Mary Margaret led David out of the cabin with the promise to go get Bae. Once left alone Emma quickly changed, realizing she was still in her nightgown, the thin material tucked haphazardly into the waistband of her pants. She put a proper shirt on, pulling the thick beige sweater back on over top. Just as she was looping her cutlass around her waist Bae bounced into the cabin.

"Hi, Emma," Bae called as he came closer. Emma grinned, looking over the child. Bae was dressed all in the new clothing Emma had bought him back in Berkley. Dressed all in black, red socks peeking out from the tops of his boots, Bae looked extremely proud. The hat was pulled on his head, blonde hair still visible, which Emma noted had been neatly combed and freed of the mats of street dirt that had mussed it before. Worn similar to how Emma wore her own Bae's small and simple cutlass swung against his hip, hung from a belt that was cut short to fit properly on Bae's slender body, most likely by Robin. This child looked almost nothing like the one Emma had found being attacked for stealing food not that long ago.

Emma sank into a light curtsy, ducking her head towards her brother. "You look like a proper gentleman, Bae," she told him, watching a grin split Bae's freshly washed cheeks. Bae did his best to bow in return but stumbled a bit when he began to giggle. Emma caught him before he could fall, righting him and passing him his green coat from the corner. "It's cold out, best bundle up."

"What are we going to do?" Bae asked eagerly.

"Explore." With that Emma swung up onto the ladder and climbed into the crisp air, a glee filled whoop following her.

And that's what they did. Emma and Bae combed through the shops of the little port, not looking for anything in particular, just enjoying the company of each other, teasing and taunting in a way that was all at once foreign and familiar. It was strange for Emma, the way the shop keepers smiled at the two of them, treated them like the family they were trying to be. They didn't notice the swords hanging from each of their hips at first glance and react. They didn't shy away because Emma usually was unmistakably a pirate. Instead they offered hints at where the two should go, where the best dinner could be found, asking Bae's age and if he liked sailing. It was so domestic. It was so_ opposite_ to what Emma was used to. But even though she felt as if she had found a life she never expected to something still felt as if it were missing. Emma shook off the slightly empty feeling and hurried after Bae, who'd disappeared into another shop.

After exiting what seemed to be a catch-all store, carrying a pillow crocheted into the shape of a ship for Bae's hammock, the two turned towards a small inn. The shopkeeper in the grocery store, where they picked up some sweets for later that night, had directed them towards the establishment, citing the restaurant in the back as the best place in the entire town to eat, while avoiding the raucousness of the bars.

Emma held the door open for Bae who bounced inside and immediately took off towards the corner of the restaurant. Emma bolted after him, skidding to a stop only when she noticed who was sat in the corner of the crowded space.

Jones, looking quietly out of place, turned to Bae as the child hurried towards him. Even with his hook tucked under the table Jones looked like a pirate and people were acting accordingly. Though, Emma supposed that possibly his reputation had preceded him, causing the fear to darken the eyes of nearby customers even more so. When Jones looked up, obviously searching for who Bae was with, his eyes immediately locked in on Emma. A heated stare made Emma want to blush and leave for fear of doing something she would regret as they were in public, but instead she straightened her shoulders, removed her hat and moved towards the table.

Bae had already taken the seat across from Jones. As she got closer Jones hooked his foot around a chair at the next table and yanked it over beside Bae. With a nod of thanks Emma sat, biting on the inside of her cheek to keep herself focused. It hadn't been until she'd seen Jones again that she'd realized she'd been missing him. Even after just a few hours.

"Good evening, Swan," Jones greeted after Bae gave him a moment to speak.

"Jones," Emma answered, slightly breathless. Thankfully the background noise covered her momentary slip. A waitress came closer, hovering nervously behind them with a plate of food. "I see we're interrupting your dinner. We'll leave you be."

"Stay, lass," Jones answered quickly. "The table has room."

Emma sighed and turned towards the fearful girl. "Two more please." The girl brought Jones his dinner, letting it fall with a metal clatter against the table as she hurriedly stepped back. Jones brought his hook up to settle the plate. The waitress gasped at the sight, forcing Jones to hide the metal attachment again. The waitress stopped near Emma and bent under the guise of straightening her apron.

"I'll get my father. The monster will be thrown out and you'll be kept safe."

The heat of Jones's gaze told her the side conversation had been overheard. When Emma glanced towards Jones his gaze fell, focusing studiously on his lap. Anger flared inside Emma. How_ dare_ this woman imply such a thing? Could she not see that Emma was armed herself, as was Bae? The prospect of Jones leaving Emma and Bae alone for dinner upset her more than she expected. Obviously that was tied to the longing she'd felt all day, just recently identified as a desire for Jones's company.

Emma quickly shook her head, and slipped her hand under the small table, squeezing Jones's knee in what she hoped was reassuring rather than restraining. "In that case, this pirate_ captain_ shall take her business elsewhere thank you, very much. If Jones isn't welcome here, well then there is no reason for me to be allowed to stay either."

Emma pushed herself upwards. "Come," she said in her most commanding voice, motioning to Jones and Bae. "We'll have our sweets for dinner."

Bae, who had missed the whispered part of the exchange hurriedly rose, enticed by the prospect. Jones was slower, throwing down a few coins. Emma scooped them up turning to the girl. It wasn't like the food had been touched anyways.

"Pirate, remember?" Emma raised her brow until the woman backed down. Emma flicked the coins back at Jones who neatly caught them, pocketing the shiny metal currency. The waitress hurried away and Emma took that as her cue to leave, walking out, head held high, Jones right behind her and Bae at her side.

Jones let out a bark of a laugh when they were greeted by the winter night, breath fogging up in front of them. "What was that little show about?" he asked when he had sidled up beside her.

Emma didn't chance a glance towards Jones, afraid she'd loose her nerve. "You told me you'd prove to me you're not like everyone else. You can't do that if you're thrown out on your ass."

Jones exhaled softly. "I guess I better get down to business then." Jones warm hand slipped into Emma's, tangling his rough fingers with her own. A shot of heat, more like a spark than a blaze or smoulder tracked up Emma's arm. Had Emma not have bit down hard on her lip at the sensation she was pretty sure the heat would turn south and make her feel things she definitely wasn't ready to feel.

"I guess you should," Emma managed to return. The rest of the walk to The Swan was silent.

Jones only let go of Emma's hand once they reached the gang plank. The withdrawal of the contact made Emma's hand freeze and curl against itself, fingers lightly scraping the palm in search of the sensation that had been lost at the separation. Emma climbed up first, unlocking the hatch for the captain's quarters and letting Bae scuttle down the ladder before she herself jumped down. Jones followed once Emma moved out of the way.

Emma spread the package Bae had been carrying out on the desk, revealing pastries and a few cookies and candies. At least most of the pastries were filled with fruit so Emma didn't feel so bad about feeding them to Bae as dinner. She set about making tea once the food was set out, Bae chattering to Jones behind her.

"Tell me a story," Bae requested.

Emma glanced over her shoulder towards the child who had taken up residence on his hammock with a peach preserve turnover grasped in one hand. "What kind?" Emma asked. Bae shook his head and pointed towards Jones.

"Tell me a story, Captain," Bae asked again. "Of when you were my age. Emma already told me her story."

Before Emma could get after Bae for being too nosy Jones sighed something that sounded a little_ too_ much like_ Swan's proof_ and sat down on the chair near Emma's bed. "I'm afraid it's not a terribly lovely story, lad," Jones answered. Emma could hear the reluctance in his voice but also the determination.

"That's alright, neither was Emma's," Bae answered in that childhood trust and honestly Emma was always surprised to see coming from a boy who had gotten what he did in life. Emma sighed but couldn't find it in herself to squash Bae's free-spirited mood. "She was a street orphan like me. And then-"

"I think Jones already knows that part of the story," Emma cut in quickly. Jones turned towards her.

"Aye lass, I do. Not that it matters to me."

"Me either," Bae replied, taking the cup of tea Emma offered him. She smiled at the boy, ruffling his hair with her now free hand.

Emma handed the other cup to Jones, whispering, "Thanks" under her breath as she did so. When Emma had poured her own cup, picked out an orange roll and sat down on her bed Jones looked at her steadily for a moment before shifting his gaze to his cup and beginning.

"My father ran away from me when I was just a little younger than yourself, lad. Left me high and dry in the middle of the night right before our landlord came to collect. I was kicked out, having no money to secure the hovel for another month. So I lived on the street, wandering around, too damn proud to beg. I was near dead when my brother Liam found me." Jones quieted for a moment, remember the brother he so admired. Bae was listening with rapt attention, fascinated that he'd found another pirate captain with a background so similar to his own. Emma saw the formations of the same hero worship Jones had towards his brother being directed towards Jones from her little brother. She couldn't let either one of them down by allowing Jones to continue down the path of silent remembrance that would only lead to pain and actions regretted in the morning.

Emma set down her cup and reached forwards, hand locking around Jones's and pulled him forward. Jones started, shooting Emma a surprised look as he was pulled from his reverie. Emma tugged again and patted the bed beside her with her free hand. After a tense moment, Jones seemingly battling something inside of himself he nodded and rose, settling down again beside Emma. Jones didn't let go of Emma's hand, gripping it tightly. Emma didn't have the heart to pull her hand away so she settled beside Jones and drew small circles on the back of Jones scar marked hand with her thumb.

"Liam was away. He'd been sponsored by a well to do family in our area to go into naval training. I'll be forever grateful to whoever got word to him of what had happened. Liam took me with him, nursed me back to health and when I came of age, got me into the navy. I became his lieutenant and we sailed on a ship called The Jewel of the Realm."

"What happened to Liam?" Bae asked, brow furrowing in the same way it had when he'd read into Emma's unvoiced past. She forgot how perceptive the boy could be.

"Liam, why don't you get ready for bed?" Emma asked quickly, trying her best to keep her tone more curt than desperate for a subject change. "Jones told you the story of his childhood as you asked."

"Liam's dead isn't he?" Bae asked, determined for an answer. "Your only sibling died while you sailed together?" The desolation in Bae's tone and the way his big eyes focused in on Emma as he spoke broke her heart. Emma detached herself from Jones and hurried to Bae's side, taking the boy into her arms.

"I'm not going to die, Bae. Don't worry."

"If you do I'll be alone," Bae sobbed. Emma rubbed the boy's back while he cried against her ear.

"No, you won't." Emma's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. "Nothing is going to happen to me. And anyways, Mary Margaret and David would look after you just as well. And so would Robin and Whale and even Jones," Emma turned around just in time to see the pirate leave, moving towards the crews quarters. Emma sighed, turning back to Bae. "I promise you that. Now, bed time. We leave early tomorrow morning."

She kissed the top of Bae's head before taking her nightgown from her chest and moving out into the hallway to change. She left her clothes in a little pile by the door to her cabin, pulled on her nightgown and moved towards the crew's quarters.

Emma paused by the open door, watching Jones pace, hand balled at his side, hook digging into his leg as he pushed the point against himself, almost as if to focus his mind. When Jones turned on his heel, ending up facing Emma she stepped forwards.

"Thank you for doing that for Bae," she told him. She took another step forward, coming into the room. "You could have made something up and none of us would have been any the wiser."

"I take it you are used to people lying to you to save face, lass?" Jones stepped closer to her as he spoke, eyes never leaving Emma's face.

Emma attempted to shrug lightly. She wasn't sure she came off as casual as planned. "It's happened before."

"Do you remember what I told you this morning?" Jones took another step closer, almost within arm's reach of Emma.

"A variety of things were said," Emma replied, closing the gap herself this time. "Thinking of anything in particular?" The two were nearly touching._ Nearly._

"I_ said,_ that I would prove to you I was different. This is just further proof."

"Then I owe you another thanks. And also, must ask you to not put yourself through that again for me-"

"Don't you_ dare_ tell me you aren't worth the trouble," Jones cut in fiercely. "Because, if you're aren't worth that, then I'm worth absolutely nothing."

Instead of replying, Emma grabbed the collar of Jones's jacket, and pulled him towards her. Lips crashed, teeth nipped and clacked against each other, blood boiled and cheeks flushed. It was heady and overwhelming, as if each were searching for something within the lips of the other. Emma wasn't sure if they found it before they broke apart panting, lips swollen and red from the kiss. But she also wasn't sure if whatever that was, was supposed to be found that night. Maybe it was better left until they were more comfortable with whatever they were becoming.

Emma took Jones's hand when he turned to move towards his hammock and give Emma an opportunity to slip out without addressing what had happened. She appreciated the gesture. But it felt wrong to end the night that way, go their separate ways when Jones was trying so hard to show her what a good man he could be. Jones turned back to her in surprise, glancing at their interlocked hands.

"My bed is much more comfortable than a hammock," she whispered, unable to voice the offer any louder.

"Well, who am I to say no to that?" Jones asked, equally as quiet but tone light. Jones allowed Emma to lead him back to her room.

Bae was already asleep when they entered. Emma slipped into bed while Jones removed his boots, coat and vest. Jones removed his hook, leaving the brace on and set the metal attachment on the floor beside Emma's own cutlass. After waiting for Emma to signal that she had not changed her mind Jones climbed in beside her. They lay together on their backs, separated by a few inches that could have been entire oceans, for far too long. The way Emma had been laying before Jones joined her had made any other position of contact rather difficult to achieve smoothly. Eventually Emma sighed and rolled over to face the wall.

"Good night, Swan," Jones whispered before rolling over on his side as well and looping his arm around Emma, pulling her tight against the warm and work tightened planes of his body. The position was at once the spark to the fire of desire that had been burning for longer than she cared to admit, as well as warm and soft as one of Emma's treasured blankets. The softness and comfort outweighed the lust smoldering in her, and it was pressed against Jones's body that Emma finally fell asleep.


	24. Remember That

_A/N:_ Sorry for taking so long to update. I had massive writers block and then went home for Thanksgiving so I spent the weekend with my family and a good friend who also came along. Hopefully I'll get more posted soon, this story is almost done, and I've got a prompt halfway finished for my other fic, but I lost internet. Hopefully I'll be able to get it back soon as now I can only post when I'm out of my apartment. Anyways, hope you guys stuck around to read. I know this is short but it's the final setup. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

The next several days passed in a state of quiet contentment that Emma had forgotten could exist. Jones moved into Emma's room, much to the chagrin of David and the constant ribbing of Robin and thinly veiled comments about her first relationship since Neal from Mary Margaret. Even though Emma would get wound up through the day about everything coming to bed and Jones's open and waiting arms would fix things each night. Because in her room no one was making fun of her finally being in a relationship, good natured or not, or fretting about Jones hurting her. In her room Jones and Emma were simply that, two lost captains coming together and finding comfort in each other. It was at once strange and familiar but Emma stopped from thinking too heavily into the connection that was shared for fear of driving up her anxiety to a point where she'd do something she would regret.

And Bae enjoyed the company as well. Having Jones in the room meant twice the people to tell stories and twice the people to pay attention to him. After spending so much of his life without attention the child craved it. It didn't matter who it came from so long as there was someone to show love to him. Emma knew it had made Jones uncomfortable at first but he was trying so Emma couldn't actually fault him for it. She understood well.

Jones or Emma would teach Bae sword fighting in the morning, depending on who had the early shift. Bae was delighted to learn from legendary captains and being at the age he was, the whole idea of sword fighting and being a swashbuckling pirate was very alluring. Emma didn't want Bae to have a pirating lifestyle forever, she didn't see that for herself either, but for now she was just glad that Bae was enjoying himself.

Jones had actually managed to convince Emma to let him take some shifts at the helm which gave her more time with Bae which had been Jones's leading reason. Bae had just come into her life when The Swan had sailed from port. The two new siblings of sorts needed time together. Even though Bae was a happy child it would take years for Emma to really soothe the deepest of the young boy's wounds. Jones was a skilled captain and eventually she accepted that she had nothing to worry about with him guiding her floating home while she worked on bonding with Bae. Not that she ever told Jones that directly.

But as the ship got closer to Seaport Emma's anxiety started to rise to a point where even Jones's arms at night couldn't calm her. And it wasn't just returning to the town, though that was the majority of the problem. It was also the idea of her job with Jones coming to an end. Would Jones leave after this captain was dead? Would he go back to being the pirate he was known to be? The one Emma hadn't seen since the trip started? Would Jones leave her alone after giving her such a week as he had? It wasn't like Jones would need Emma for anything else after the commitment was finished? Or would he stay? She wasn't actually sure what she was more freaked out by.

On the afternoon The Swan was due in to Seaport Emma had had enough. Paired with the knowledge that they were growing closer, and the idea of facing a past she wanted nothing to do with, by one in the afternoon when the land started looming ahead of her, large enough to swallow her whole and make her so nervous her head spun, she'd had enough. She knew the way her friends watched her, cautious and careful. It just added to the pressure. She needed an outlet. And that outlet was suspended high above the deck of The Swan.

Emma waved Robin over, quickly exchanging positions at the helm before striding across the deck. She climbed as fast as she could with nerves giving her hands a mild shake. With a sigh she heaved herself up onto the wooden platform, tucking her legs up under her instead of leaving them to dangle so she'd be less visible to those on deck below her.

Emma leaned back against the mast and stared straight ahead at the land but let her eyes go out of focus. The last night she'd spent in Seaport had been behind a whore house waiting to be selected and trying not to freeze as she sat against the hard ground. That's when Neal had arrived with several of his men and ooed about her looks. She'd been delighted, or well as delighted as one can be in such a situation, for the attention and had gone with Neal back to his ship. Somehow Emma let her guard down enough to be convinced to sail with them. Emma had thought she might have finally found a place for herself. Neal on the other hand had been going to trade Emma, not that she realized that for a good long while. Emma was sure the people of Seaport knew what had happened, knew how naïve Emma had been to hope someone would want her. And if they didn't they at least remembered Emma, dirty and alone in a dress ripped from where she'd run from someone trying to buy her services and gotten it caught on a nail. She'd burned that dress long ago but she still wasn't sure if anyone would be able to see anything else.

What would the people who used to spit on her as she slept or buy her body think when she showed up again with a different captain, this time a much more infamous one. Would they even be able to consider the fact that Emma was helping Jones rather than the other way around? Would they see the successful captain she had become? The little life she had built for herself with the help of the first friends she'd ever been able to make and keep? Or would they just see orphan Emma Swan trying to wear a costume? Emma wasn't sure she'd be able to handle that.

The ropes to the crow's nest creaked, signaling someone climbing up. Probably David. David was always the one who made the trip up the mast to check on her. It wasn't that the others wouldn't or couldn't climb up. It was just something Emma and David did. They had a connection unlike the ones with everyone else. David could talk Emma down from a lot, had done so many times, so the rest of the crew just left the job up to him. Emma didn't bother to check to see if her prediction was correct. She'd find soon enough anyways if the moving rope was any indication.

It wasn't David who hauled himself over the lip of the platform. It was Jones. Emma watched him move closer, positioning himself at an angle beside her. Blue eyes studied her closely, noting the tense line of her shoulders, the way her eyes flicked back to the land in front of them every few moments as she battled to pay attention to Jones rather than her past torment.

"How are you doing?"

Emma just shrugged. Jones could read her well enough to figure it out himself.

"It was a long time ago," Jones said.

"People have long memories and even larger opinions," Emma answered. She could now make out the buildings of the port if she squinted. It wouldn't be long now before she had to step out into the town of her nightmares. It wouldn't be long until Jones left her.

"But you can also change those memories. I changed your opinion of me right?" Emma glanced towards Jones then, who actually seemed to be waiting for an honest answer, eyes searching. Emma wasn't quite sure why he felt the need for a verbal reply when he obviously knew how she felt about him.

"You changed my opinion about a lot of things," Emma replied, allowing Jones to tangle his fingers through hers.

"Remember that, okay?" Jones brought her hand to his lips and carefully kissed her knuckles. Emma knew he was talking about opinions changing and that she would be alright in Seaport but part of her screamed that there was something else to his words, a second meaning she wasn't able to decode yet. Before Emma could address the strange feeling the remark had given her Jones kept talking. "You're Emma Swan, captain of The Merciless Swan. You have a brother who adores you, friends who would do anything for you and me."

"You, eh?" Emma answered, trying to lighten the mood between them. She didn't really want Jones to declare his feelings so close to the time when he may leave her for good. Emma knew she'd developed feelings for Jones she felt in the very fibre of her being but saying that out loud would be too concrete, too real when they were reaching a sort of cross road for their relationship. Until she was certain she didn't want anything said. And just as she'd hoped for, Jones understood.

"Yeah, me." Jones gave her a wink and pressed a kiss against her temple. "I'll be with you all the way in Seaport. No one is going to hurt you when I'm around."

"I can protect myself," Emma answered, watching the ship cut through the waves towards port.

"I know. Doesn't mean you have to though. You'll be fine. I'll make sure of that." Jones pressed a kiss to her lips this time before waving her towards the edge of the crow's nest. "Now come on, Captain Swan, let's go see to your crew." Jones swung over the side of the platform. "Just remember what I told you, okay?"

Emma nodded, furrowing her brow at the cryptic tone before following Jones down the rigging and onto the deck. Whatever Jones was referring to it would be the least of her worries once The Swan was docked. She could figure his words out after she dealt with the town and the ghosts of her past that dwelled there.


	25. Seaport

_A/N:_ We're winding down. Only two or three chapters after this one. I hope you guys like this one and sorry for the wait in between chapters. This story has been much more challenging to write than my others. Thanks for all your support. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

"Bae, stay on the ship with Mary Margaret okay?" Emma told her brother as she laced a second holster around her chest and fit two daggers into the slots. The navy vessel they hunted had already been spotted by a scout Jones sent ahead while Emma prepped her crew. She wasn't quite sure what they would find but she wanted to be ready whatever the case.

It had been decided that Emma and Jones would go ahead with David. Jones had wanted to go by himself but Emma had argued that that would lead to nothing but trouble. Jones needed her to complete this so she was going to be there when they hunted this captain down. Emma was a fine fighter. She wouldn't hold them back. And she was in this mess anyways from that night in Berkley. Only David was going with them because this trip was an assassination trip, not some crew outing. They needed to draw the least amount of attention possible. And after the night in Berkley Emma would rather she keep her crew under Robin's care in case some of this other captain's crew realized they were there and attacked.

"But I want to come with you," Bae wheedled following Emma up the ladder to the ship's deck.

"I know," Emma replied, trying to be placating but her tone was rather ruined at the shot of nerves that went through her when she saw the port, large and bustling and all together overwhelming.

"It's not safe right now, lad," Jones added as Emma moved to where he and David stood by the gang plank.

Bae nodded, listening to Jones which made Emma want to role her eyes in exasperation. But she didn't though because of what Bae asked next.

"You'll keep her safe right?" Bae asked, grabbing Jones's long leather coat to ensure he had the pirate captain's attention.

"Yes, lad," Jones answered softly, glancing up at Emma for a moment. She tried to school her looks, tried not to act touched both by the question and the tone which Jones answered Bae in. It was obvious that Jones truly meant what he said.

"Below deck now, Bae. Go have some dinner with Mary Margaret." David directed Bae below deck before turning back to the two captains. "Are you ready, Emma?"

Emma glanced back at the town. If she squinted she could just make out the old inn and pub she used to work at, the one Neal had frequented before taking Emma with him. The dingy yellow front of the building hadn't been painted since she'd left or if it had an absolutely terrible job had been done of the repairs because it was just as ugly as when she left. Just to the left of the building was the alleyway she used to sleep in. So no, Emma was not ready. But she was going to do it anyways. For Jones.

Emma nodded curtly to David. "Let's go."

David stepped onto the gang plank and led the way down, Jones following, allowing Emma to take a few last steadying breaths on deck before having to officially enter the town. Jones stopped at the gang plank, turning to Emma and waiting until she moved closer, ready to finally leave the ship. Or as ready as was possible.

"Remember what I told you earlier, okay?" Jones asked seriously, ducking his head so he was at eyelevel with Emma.

"I told you I would," Emma replied, slightly confused. Why was Jones making such a big deal out of this? She had already said so yet Jones was beginning to look very nervous. Maybe even guilty, though Emma couldn't understand why. She shook it off as nerves about finally completing his mission for revenge.

Jones nodded which Emma felt was more directed at reassuring himself than her before turning and walking down the plank ahead of her to where David waited at the bottom, looking slightly confused by the short delay Jones had caused.

Emma paused again at the bottom of the gang plank, foot hovering just above the ground of Seaport. Emma huffed a long breath out through her mouth, trying to ignore the shaking in her hands that had started halfway down from the ship. Emma couldn't be sure if she recognized the men running around the port behind David and Killian, if she'd ever_ worked_ for them, or if it was her nerves distorting their faces into something she vaguely remembered. Jones reached out, offering his hand at the same time David did. Such a large part of Emma wanted to turn around and run back and hide with Bae until she could leave port again. But the other part of Emma, the one telling her that she could be strong, reached out and took both the hands, allowing the men to guide her off the ship and finally back into Seaport.

"Where to first?" Emma asked because the silence of David and Jones watching her was more than she could handle. She couldn't just stand there anymore. She needed to move. To do something.

"The Molting Duck. That's where I've been told is our best bet."

David turned sharply to Emma when she squeezed his hand with all her strength._ No._ No. Why did it have to be that place?_ That specific place?_ It was bad enough she had to be in town. Did she have to go_ there_ too?

"That's the pub isn't it?" David asked quietly, already knowing the answer, pulling Emma towards him for a hug. But she struggled back instead, needing the space, needing_ not_ to be touched. She rips both her hands away and starts walking forwards, trying to replace all the walls Jones had brought down since she met him, brick by brick. If she had to go into that place then she was going to be impervious to it. She wouldn't be the scared girl she was when she still lived in Seaport. Or at least, she wouldn't look like it. She'd give the people of the town who recognized her a lot to chew over and it wasn't going to be about what they used to gossip about her over.

Behind her David and Jones sprinted to catch up. No one said anything, just fell into position beside her, looking their imposing pirate best. Emma was glad they'd realized what she was doing and decided to help out. She knew the three of them would cut an intimidating image, which while not exactly conducive to sneaking up on a captain who most likely was surrounded by crew, at least it made her feel better. Which was very much appreciated as they neared the pub, busy despite it still being early.

"Well, well," someone called out from the side of the trio as they walked up the street. "If it isn't the little Swan." Emma froze. She knew that voice without even turning to see who it was. It was the voice of someone who'd hired Emma out more times than she rightly should have said yes. But what was a hungry and cold girl to do?

David and Jones stopped beside Emma, their hands immediately going to their weapons without even waiting to see why this person would be yelling at Emma. Though by the man's tone the intentions behind the heckling was anything but good.

"Come back for me, sweetheart? Find these two aren't tickling your fancy as much as I can."

And there it was. The insinuation that Emma was the paid woman of one- or both- of the men she was with. Emma had been expecting that response but it still stung.

"Want a glimpse to remind you of how good I was, or maybe you me?"

At that Emma's got one of the daggers in her hand, other arm pressing the vile man against the clapboard wall of the pub while she twisted the point of the knife against unshaven skin. The man starts and struggles but unlike eight years ago Emma's much stronger now. And much better armed.

"If you ask one more time about what's under my trousers you'll be dead in a ditch." Emma's voice was low and sharp, a warning. "I'm a pirate captain now and you'll do well to remember that I have an entire crew," Emma gestured behind her with her head to where David stood, "that would be just as angry and offended by your insinuations." Emma glared hard at the man, whose eyes flickered to her friends behind her. She let all the anger at her past life in Seaport bubble to the surface and cover the nerves she had at being so close to a past client. The man's throat bobbed as he swallowed. "Now go." Emma kicked out at the man as she released him, causing him to scrabble against the road to get away. "Go tell all your friends that Captain Swan is no longer for sale."

When the man had run around the corner of the next building over Emma turned back to Jones and David. She moved past them, knowing there wasn't much they could say while she was still digesting what had happened. Jones ran to catch up in front of her, asking her to pause beside the pub's door.

"How about you let me or David go in first since you're so recognizable," Jones suggested, nearly pleading. Emma shot him a sharp look, equal parts confusion and anger that the implication was that she couldn't do complete the task because of her past. "Just until we know if the man's in there or not," Jones amended.

Emma shook her head. "This trip is closure for me as well. I need to do this."

David, seeming to agree, or at least understand moved forward and opened the door for her. "Just tell us if you see the man," David said in a tone that said he just wanted the task over with and Emma far from Seaport.

Jones sighed and stepped into the bustling pub just before Emma did. "There," Jones said in a tired tone that didn't fit the mood Emma expected for locating the man who had murdered both Jones's brother and first love. Emma couldn't figure out why Jones had been acting so strangely since they arrived. It just made no sense.

Emma turned her head to look where Jones was pointing. And then she understood why Jones was being so odd. Because it wasn't just any captain sitting at a small table in the corner talking to a woman Emma used to work with.

It was Neal.


	26. Running

_A/N:_ Hopefully you guys understand Emma's reaction. If not- have no fear- more explanation is coming up in the next chapter. This chapter was hard to write because I love Killian as a character and this was a side I've never written before (ala season 2 selfishness) so I hope it came out alright. I'm planning on writing only two, maybe three, more chapters before the story's done. I plan to have it done hopefully by early next week because my life at university is about to get super busy and stressful. Anyways, let me know what you think, thanks for all the support and enjoy!

Neal._ Neal._ Nothing's changed and yet everything feels different. Neal hasn't changed his looks. Scruffy brown hair still splayed messily across his forehead. The grungy look Neal always had when he arrived at port from a sailing trip still dulled his skin so he hadn't been at Seaport for longer than a day if Emma's memory served with his habits. The navy and grey hat Neal had had even when Emma lived with him sat towards the back of his head from where he'd pushed it back to get a better look at the woman with him.

An interested smile curved his lips as he leaned closer to his lady friend's bosom. The predatory glint in his expression had taken Emma months to figure out when she was with him. It seemed like the woman wasn't any more perceptive that she had been when it came to Captain Neal Cassidy. Part of Emma wanted to stomp over there and rip the woman away from a man who would only bring her pain if she was lucky.

But there was a part of her that was screaming for its way even louder. She turned on her heel and ran out the door.

Screams of_ Emma_ followed her as she beat a path back to her boat. But she didn't stop. She just wanted to get back to her ship and sail away. It was safer on her ship. She could be leagues away before word that her ship had docked at Seaport ever reached Neal's ears. She hadn't made any noise in the pub. She hadn't been seen by Neal, not in that short a time. She could escape Neal once again. She just had to make it to her ship first.

Tears blurred her eyes as she ran down a path that was at once all too familiar and all too painful. Of course Jones had lied to her._ Of course._ Because Emma could never be in love. She could never have someone care about her like that. Neal had taught her that lesson years ago. There was too much about her that just wasn't conducive to being in a relationship with someone. Because she was Emma Swan, orphan, ex-whore, pirate captain. She should have known better. She should have protected herself better. Only bad things came from letting people like Jones in.

_"Emma!"_

_"Swan!"_ The shouts were closer now. Emma tried to spur herself on faster but that only made her stumble on the cobblestones. One moment she was on her feet fleeing and the next she was sprawled over the road, face scraped against the cold, rough stone. A whimper escaped her lips as pain shot through her body._ Because nothing was ever easy in her life._

"Swan. Emma," her name was whispered over her as gentle hands lifted her up. At first Emma allowed herself a moment to breathe, thinking it was David but when the familiar lilt registered she scrambled away, hand brushing the blood from her nose and cheeks roughly.

"Let me go," she shrieked at Jones, ripping from his grip. She knew people were stopping and staring but she just couldn't find it in herself to care at that moment. Now instead of just upset she was mad._ Really mad._

"Emma," Jones replied, voice breaking. Jones whole face had fallen. She hadn't seen his eyes that dead since she found him on that bench back in Berkley. She only let herself feel a pinch of anything for a split second before pushing the softer emotion away and glaring.

_"Don't_ Emma me," she shouted. "You have_ no_ right."

"Can I explain?"

"What is there to explain? You didn't tell me we were hunting Neal, the man who tried to sell me. Did you not think that was important information? Or did you just not care about me? I thought we were something, Jones. Obviously I was wrong."

"Emma, I did know about Neal." Before Emma could bark at him he held up his hand to silence her. She complied after cursing at him fiercely. "Not at first. Not until a bit after you mentioned The Swan being Neal's old ship. It took me a while to realize who exactly you meant because the ship I knew Neal as owning was different. And then I just didn't care. All I wanted was my revenge. Not until we became something. But we were too close already and I was selfish. I couldn't let Liam and Milah down."

"So you let me down instead." Emma's voice cracked as the tears started again. Why did that even sting? Emma knew she was nowhere as important as Jones's brother and first love. She had no right to even expect that.

"I didn't want to," Jones argued back trying to take a step closer. Emma drew her sword and held it out in front of her, tip shaking as tremors travelled down her arm. She needed to get out of there before she fully exploded. "That's why I wanted to go alone. Get it done then leave and go back to Berkley and be happy with you, nothing from my past haunting me and give you all the attention you deserve. You deserve a better man than I am so that's what I was trying to become."

"And you thought I wouldn't care that the person I was with murdered_ my_ first love?"

"This trip was supposed to be your closure too."

"By coming to Seaport. Not partaking in Neal's murder. I loved Neal. I don't want him dead, not really. Just out of my life. Neal was how I got out of Seaport, how I got my ship. I know he made my life absolutely awful but he did give me those things and because of that I could never kill him. And if we really_ were_ something you should have known that I don't want to add to the red in my ledger. I'm trying to take it away." Jones just didn't get it and she was frustrated because she didn't know how to explain the emotions warring inside of her properly. She screamed at him, cursing loudly until David finally stepped forward from where he'd been standing off to the side, listening, and took her cutlass. De-armed, Emma deflated, turned and once again took off for her ship.

Behind her David yelled at Jones to stay where he was before sprinting after her. Emma reached the ship just as David was entering the dock area. Robin ran to her as she boarded, immediately going for his weapon when he saw her tear streaked face.

"Get anyone who left back now. We leave in five minutes. If they're not back by then they can stay with Jones for all I care."

Emma threw open the hatch to her cabin and jumped down. David could fill Robin in and take the ship out. She wouldn't have her crew see her like this. Thankfully the room was empty and she didn't have to explain why she was crying to Bae either. As quickly as she could, knowing Mary Margaret would come running as soon as she heard Emma climbed up the ladder again to grab the hatch. She shut it and locked it from the inside then moved to her cabin door, doing the same to that. Once Emma was locked in and alone she fell on the heap of blankets on her bed.

The smell of Jones immediately hit her and she was reminded of the nights they had spent, cuddled together, protecting each other from nightmares. Emma flew out of bed, nearly tripping in her haste, needing to be away from Jones. Needing to_ forget._ She stuffed any belonging of Jones's she could find into a mostly empty box she found under her desk before sealing it with a length of rope and shoving it out of sight under the bed.

She finished, giving the edge of the box a swift kick with her boot heel, just as The Swan lurched forwards. The sound of sails unfurling nearly drowned out the strangled sobbing escaping her chest, totally out of her control. At least the ship was leaving port now. At least now neither Neal nor Jones could get her. Could hurt her.

Completely exhausted Emma stumbled towards Bae's hammock. She fell into it and pulled the swan quilt up around herself, cocooning herself in her brother's blanket. Emma pressed the pillow over her head as Mary Margaret and her other friends started pounding on the door to her cabin. Eventually she cried herself to sleep, but not until after she cursed both the day she met Jones and herself for allowing a man to undo all the personal progress she'd made since arranging a mutiny against Neal all those years ago.


	27. Have Hope

_A/N:_ Thanks for all the support. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

Emma stripped her bed in a fit of anger when she woke up next, practically ripping the blankets in her haste to get them off. The thought of sleeping in a bed that she'd shared with Jones was utterly unbearable for her. Any bit of Jones had to be hidden. She shoved all the blankets, her treasured mound, in a cupboard, slamming the door shut with her foot.

Her bed, bare straight to the mattress, sent her into tears again. The bed hadn't been bare since Neal left- or rather was thrown off the ship after trying to sell her. Emma had just kept adding and adding to the mattress when she became captain until she'd made a den of sorts that she could hide in each night in attempt to avoid the painful memories and nightmares that so often haunted her, even in the waking hours. As the pile of blankets had grown her nightmares had lessened and she'd felt truly safe for the first time in a long time. Seeing the slightly dingy mattress rocked her, bringing back not only memories of Jones but also Neal. Two men she'd cared deeply for- maybe even loved?- who had betrayed her.

Before Emma could flop, face first onto the stripped bed and resign herself to a night of restless sleep and horrifying dreams there was a timid knock on the door. Emma froze, waiting for a sign as to who it was. She certainly wasn't ready to let Mary Margaret or David in yet.

"Emma?" It was Bae, sounding so sad that Emma's heart broke even more. "Can I come in?"

Emma moved to the door without hesitating and opened the door allowing Bae to slip in quickly before locking it once again. When she was once again secure in her cabin she turned to Bae who was regarding her seriously, knit beaning hanging off his head in a way that only added to his distraught look.

"What did Killian do?" Bae asked solemnly, a tinge of defensiveness colouring his quiet voice.

"Jones tricked me and it hurt my heart very much," Emma answered honestly, sniffling. At the sound Bae lunged for her, wrapping his thin arms around Emma's waist. Emma gasped at the embrace before sinking to her knees to better return the hug.

"You can cry if you want, Emma. I'll protect you."

Emma gave a wet laugh at that before dissolving into deep sobs, head against Bae's frail shoulder. But the crying wasn't to do with Jones this time. No. This was to do with the way Bae was running his hand up and down her back, trying his best to soothe her. They were two lost orphans who'd found each other. Who were siblings. Who belonged together. She'd spent so long searching for family and while she'd found it with Mary Margaret and David, they were also their own family, a couple soon to start a family. With Bae they were not going to leave each other. Bae would travel with her wherever she went because he loved her and Emma would take Bae and show him the world, do what he wanted because she loved him.

"I love you, Emma," Bae whispered against her ear as if reading her mind. Emma planted a soft kiss against Bae's temple, just below the edge of his beanie.

"I love you, too, Bae," Emma replied, squeezing tighter.

Bae yawned after a long while and Emma pulled back, glancing out the cabin window to see that darkness had fallen without her realizing it. Bae must have been exhausted with all that had gone on that day. He certainly looked stressed. She pulled back and stood. "Come on, Bae. Bed time."

Bae nodded, stifling another yawn with the back of his hand and started towards his hammock. Bae stopped momentarily when he noticed Emma's bed, sans blankets, before hurrying to the hammock Emma hadn't remade and grabbed the swan quilt.

"We can share," Bae told her, sitting down on the bed. "It is a swan quilt after all."

Emma grinned as best as she could at Bae, knowing that was what he wanted to see. "I can't say no to that reasoning, can I?" Emma followed Bae over to the bed and laid down. Bae immediately threw the large quilt over them both then buried into her side. Curled against her brother Emma let Bae's steady, soft breathing lull her back into a sleep driven by the exhaustion of too many tears over someone she shouldn't have been crying over.

The next morning Emma woke to a tiny hand tapping at her shoulder. Emma rolled over expecting to see Bae but the hand didn't belong to her brother. The hand belonged to a very concerned looking Mary Margaret.

Before Emma could say anything about wanting to be alone, Mary Margaret offered her a bowl of oatmeal and motioned for her to sit up. "Bae came and got me. Apparently you slept very restlessly and he was worried."

"I'm fine," Emma replied, her voice hoarse. She must have been talking in her sleep to have a scratchy voice like that. Poor Bae.

"We both know that's not true," Mary Margaret answered softly, sitting down when Emma shifted upwards and took the still steaming breakfast. Emma had to do this because Bae wanted her to, no matter how much she didn't want to talk about her own feelings. "So, tell me what happened."

"Don't you already know?" Emma replied around a mouthful of oatmeal, raising an eyebrow skeptically. David would have told her immediately and she didn't feel like recounting the conversation she'd had with Jones the day before. Or rather what she'd screamed at him.

Mary Margaret shrugged sheepishly, acknowledging how much her husband had actually told her. "I know what David told me. I guess a better question is why did you react so strongly?"

"You do know what he did to me right?" Emma barked, surprised that Mary Margaret hadn't immediately sided with her. They were friends and Jones had betrayed her. Jones had gone after Neal without telling her._ Neal_ of all people. She was supposed to trust Jones. Earning trust certainly wasn't what she'd experienced from him.

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it."

"No. I don't."

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes but it wasn't a malicious movement. "Well then, what I'm talking about is how you reacted. I've never seen you get so upset. David said you didn't even get like this after Neal. You got angry then-"

"I'm angry now," Emma replied, not particularly liking where the conversation was going. Because now she did know what Mary Margaret was talking about.

"I'm talking about all the tears, Emma. You're devastated. Why?" Why? Because of the person Jones was. Because of the little bloom of hope and contentment she had felt every time she climbed into Jones arms at the end of the night. Because Emma had actually been stupid enough to think she had a chance at a future with Jones. With_ Killian._

"You know why," Emma replied, setting down her breakfast and pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Maybe. But can you admit it?"

"What's the point?" What was the point of admitting what she really was feeling, what she'd slowly started to acknowledge, especially during this conversation? How was that going to help anyone? Make this crappy situation any better? Jones was gone. End of story.

"I just want to see if I'm right." When Emma opened her mouth to continue the argument Mary Margaret pressed on. "It's alright to admit how you feel. I think everyone knows how Jones feels about you. I highly doubt the incident in Seaport changed that."

"But Jones is gone."

"Maybe now. Can't you have hope, Emma? That's the most important thing now."

"No. The most important thing is keeping myself safe so I can run this ship the way it should be and look after Bae like he deserves."

"Emma. Please."

"Mary Margaret. No."

_"Emma."_

Emma cursed and ripped at her hair. Mary Margaret wouldn't back off. She was just as stubborn as Emma herself.

_"Emma."_

"I love him, okay?" Emma shouted, tears starting to stream down her face. It was the truth, as much it hurt. As much as she wanted to tell herself she felt nothing towards Killian Jones, Mary Margaret had shown her that just wasn't possible. It wasn't like she'd fought that long for Emma to admit the words.

Mary Margaret nodded and gave her a soft, sad smile at Emma's response. She enveloped Emma in her arms and rocked her, just like Emma imagined a mother out. "I love Killian Jones."

"Well then you mustn't loose hope. You must believe this will work out because of the love you two share. My guess is that it's strong enough to get past anything."


	28. Back to Berkley

_A/N:_ Sorry for the delay. Life got busy. School work got even busier. This was originally going to be just one final chapter but I've split it into two so there's one more chapter on the way. Probably (hopefully) coming tomorrow. It's super late, hence the separation of the chapter since I have no more energy and have class at 9:30 tomorrow and wanted to post something. I hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC and the show's creators.

After the talk with Mary Margaret Emma debated turning around. She really had. But at the same time the minute Mary Margaret left her the fear crept in. Just as Jones hadn't changed neither had Emma. Going back was risking Mary Margaret had been wrong. She'd already been too hurt in Seaport by Neal. She couldn't repeat those emotions with Jones. No. She just couldn't. She wasn't like Mary Margaret. She couldn't suspend the negative thoughts. It was better for Emma to move on and never look back._ Ever._

So she kept the ship on track for Berkley. Back to the ship yard. Back to the life she knew, was used to, was protected in. Back to where she wouldn't be called what she used to be, where people knew her as a captain and not a desperate and orphaned whore. Back to her normally scheduled break in which her ship was repaired. Along with her heart, not that she ever mentioned that. Or ever would.

Emma went back to being the captain she had been before Jones appeared. She ensured no one spoke about what happened, addressing only the issues of the ship when they spoke to her. Once Jones was off The Swan he was out of their business. If anyone questioned what had happened they didn't ask it to her face. She patrolled the deck, manned the wheel and didn't once look back. At least not when anyone was around.

If Emma was good at anything she was good at pushing away painful memories. She locked the memory of Jones's rough stubble against her cheek as she fell asleep in his arms away, the memory of his smirk, all at once sincere and silly and completely, aggravatingly alluring in a box in the back of her mind, never to be opened again. And she never again shed a tear for Jones.

Bae was her priority and she made sure Bae knew that one the trip back to Berkley. She continued to teach her brother to sail, spending hours at the wheel, even when the sun went down. Bae learned the stars just as Emma had learned from David. Bae learned how to work on the deck, scrubbing and coiling rope. And maybe that was selfish of Emma, taking up so much of Bae's time to keep her mind occupied but Emma couldn't bring herself to spending the hours alone.

Though Bae never said it Emma knew he missed Jones. She could tell by the way he always looked at the bed in the captain's quarters that now seemed too big, crawling in halfway through the night, always under the guise that Emma looked lonely sleeping there by herself. Bae missed having Jones tell him stories at night, despite only having that treat for a short time. Emma tried to fill the void but just as her captain duties couldn't fill the hole in her life, neither could her stories in Bae's. And Emma understood that. She got it, perhaps better than anyone else. Bae had gone his entire life alone. And in the last few weeks he'd found a family in Emma and, really, when she thought about it, in Jones as well. If Bae wasn't with Emma he was most likely with Jones. Bae trusted Jones as he trusted Emma and now Jones was lost to him too.

Reaching Berkley finally, late one night, was a massive relief. Now that they were back to port David and Mary Margaret would leave the ship and Emma wouldn't have to be so stoic around them to avoid the lectures of her losing hope and being stubborn. Emma didn't have the energy to fight her friends on that point. She wasn't stubborn. She was being careful. There were only so many ways to say that before her temper exploded. Or she admitted the truth.

Marco and August hadn't questioned her return. Like any time she came into Berkley there was a berth for her ship in the work yard. The work started immediately, her crew once again dispersing with the_ promise_ from the captain herself that they would have the full month off for vacation this time. Emma had deprived them of time with family and friends with her stupid trip with Jones. She wasn't going to repeat that mistake again.

Once her crew moved off the boat Bae returned to David's room. At least in pretense. All his clothes moved into the room and that was where Bae got dressed and washed. But that was about it. Each night Bae still slipped into Emma's room, dragging the swan quilt behind him as he climbed onto the mattress and nuzzled into Emma's side. Emma always pretended to be asleep because if she moved Bae got embarrassed and made an excuse about Emma sleep talking or something else. So she always played it off, saving him from having to make such story up. That became their nightly tradition.

Each morning Emma would wake before Bae, who now that he had a permanent home without fear of attack each night, seemed to want to sleep half the morning. Two weeks into their month at port, the sunny Tuesday morning was no different.

Emma pushed herself out of bed, tucking the swan quilt further around Bae's still too-slender body before quickly dressing, padding around the room in her sock feet so as not to wake her slumbering brother. She scrawled a quick note onto a slip of paper, leaving it on the desk. Bae knew where she was if he were to wake but she just liked to make sure Bae knew she remembered him when she woke up. Grabbing her boots Emma slipped up the ladder and onto the deck. Bae would be fine alone while she ran and got breakfast. If any happened, August would be on deck within minutes and Bae knew how to get to Mary Margaret and David's cottage.

Emma secured her hat on her head, keeping the bright winter sun off her forehead as she climbed down the gangplank. Boots crunching against the light snow that had frozen to ice overnight she made her way out of the shipyard and towards the market, after the cinnamon rolls that had first bonded Bae and she together.

The market wasn't particularly busy when she got to it. The cold that had Emma tucking her chin into her coat was probably what had driven the people away. She pushed her chin further into the heavy wool collar, head bowed as she followed the familiar path to breakfast.

Emma could smell the cinnamon when a hand grasped her arm, tugging her to a stop. Emma whirled, expecting one of her crew. She was wrong.

"Looking for these?"


	29. A Perfect Place

_A/N:_ So here's the end of the story. So sorry for going without an update for so long. I hope some of you stuck around. My life got so busy I could barely keep up and I finally got a break tonight long enough that I wasn't completely exhausted in that I could write this. Also, that episode tonight, oh wow. It broke my emotions into a million little pieces. So many feels... Anyways, I hope you all like this ending. I hope it's what you were all wanting! I'm probably not going to be around much until mid December when classes finish for the semester. But I'll see what I can do. Let me know what you think! Reviews make me so happy. I could use them since I'm feeling so absolutely drained, both mentally and physically. Thanks for all the support! Cheers!

Disclaimer: All aspects of Once Upon A Time belong to ABC and the show's creators, Adam and Eddie.

_"Looking for these?"_

Balancing a box with three cinnamon rolls tucked inside on a shining metal hook was Jones._ Killian Jones._ The man she left in Seaport nearly a month prior and then realized she was in love with. The man she never thought she'd see again, nor was she sure she had wanted to. Blue eyes scanned her face as his teeth worried at his bottom lip. Emma's mind whirled. It didn't make sense. How was Jones in Berkley? How_ dare_ Jones come to Berkley?

Emma stepped back, intent on running, the grip Jones had on her arm tugging him along too. She shook her arm fiercely as her free hand went to her sword, drawing it within the restricted space between their bodies. Jones had to let go to avoid ending up impaled by the point giving Emma the chance to stumble a few more feet backwards.

"Emma, please," Jones practically begged, shifting the box to his hand to get a better grip on it. "I just want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk to you." The words were thrown from her lips like bombs, each syllable exploding and causing Jones to flinch.

"Can I explain why I'm here?" Where Emma's voice was pure anger, Jones's was desperation. Emma clamped down on her cheek hard to keep her anger level up. The moment she weakened in her stance would be the moment things would spiral.

Emma stepped back again, raising her sword even more. "You've come to tell me how you killed Neal? Even I didn't think you were that cruel."

"Neal isn't dead."

The cutlass clattered to the street in front of Emma, coming to rest against the toe of Jones's boot. That certainly hadn't been the answer she'd expected. Jones left the sword on the ground, most likely scared that Emma would impale him if he gave it back.

"What?" The word slipped out like a breath, hanging in the crisp air around them.

Jones breathed in heavily, the words crushing down his shoulders into steep slopes. She couldn't read the emotion darkening his eyes and it was too hard to look into them for long enough to really consider what was roiling in the blue depths. "Neal isn't dead."

"I heard you the first time," Emma snapped unintentionally. She took a deep breath to calm her whirling thoughts. Neal wasn't dead? But Killian wasn't dead either? Shouldn't their fight have ended up with at least one casualty?

"No. Can I explain the situation to you?" Emma glanced around them. Yes, she was mad at Jones. She was downright furious. But she still felt that tug in her heart not to leave him without an explanation. Jones hadn't killed Neal. Because Emma had wanted him not to? Had Jones given up on his revenge for her? Or had Jones just not succeeded?

Emma sighed and nodded to Jones before picking up her cutlass. Without waiting for Jones she marched towards the bench just out of the market, back as straight as a ramrod. Emma sat on the edge of the bench, running her fingers over her blade. Cautiously, Jones sat down beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jones look towards her, lips downturned. She didn't respond. Jones heaved a sigh and turned back to look forward.

"Neal isn't dead because I couldn't kill him."

"Couldn't? Or wouldn't?" Emma asked quietly because that answer meant everything. Could he not kill Neal because it was just too hard? Or_ would_ he not kill Neal because of Emma. Because she was more important to him? Could she even expect that? Want that?

"Couldn't. But it was because every time I tried I saw your face. Neal has cost me everyone I've ever held dear. I couldn't lose you too."

Emma took a few moments to process that. She'd never imagined Jones would come back to see her. She'd never imagined she was special enough to stop Jones's revenge quest, not after she'd seen how important it had been to him. The notion shook her. She wasn't quite sure whether to forgive Jones for coming back or yell at him for leaving her in the first place. She wasn't quite sure if she'd actually be able to do either.

"What happened?"

"Are you able to hear the whole story?"

Now Emma did glance over at Jones. Jones flickered his eyes over her face. His hand moved towards her face before faltering and letting his fingers drop once again to his leather pants. Emma's heart thudded in her chest. Jones had offered to explain to Emma, to possibly get himself forgiven only if she was able to handle it. Jones would go without if Emma wasn't capable. That, more than the earlier confession made her want to reach out and embrace him, welcome the pirate back into her life. Instead she nodded. Now she was burning with desire to know.

Jones took a deep breath to steady himself before giving Emma all he could to make up for past events. "I found Neal. It wasn't hard, bloody idiot lording himself over the port," Jones snarled scornfully, glancing back at Emma to make sure she was still with him. She was. "I had a plan to kill Neal. It was going to work. I was positive of it. I was angry and heartbroken. I'd lost you. I got caught in this need to kill Neal and this need to go back and find you. But I'd blown it with you and I'd vowed to Liam and Milah that I'd avenge them. So I went about carrying out my plan. I found Neal a few days after you left port and I got him alone. I would have been so easy. But when I saw him, all I could see, all I could feel, all I could think about was you." Jones's hand began to shake. Emma knew the feeling. She felt like a loose end of canvas sail in a hurricane. Emma knew there was only one way to stop the shaking. She reached out and grasped Jones's hand. Jones started against her before giving her hand a tight squeeze. The trembling immediately slowed. _Oh, Emma. How could you ever think Jones was nothing to you?_

"You were saying?" Emma asked quietly, the malice of earlier gone from her tone, replaced by a tentative curiosity, a timid hope.

Jones chuckled breathlessly. "_As I was saying,_ I saw Neal and not only was I aware of what the man did to my brother and first love. I was remembered what Neal did to my love. My beautiful, stubborn, pirate princess love. My_ true_ love." Jones loved her. And admitted it aloud. Emma's heart thumped rapidly as memories of the conversation with Mary Margaret welled up in her mind. Emma could barely process the idea of reciprocated feelings before Jones kept going, forcing her to put the thoughts on hold to keep up. "Neal might not have killed you, but he did hurt you. Did things to you that I don't know how to heal. And in killing Neal, well, I would hurt you even more. So I decided not to." Jones made it sound so simple, as if he were playing something off.

"And yet you've been gone for nearly a month," Emma put in, raising an eyebrow.

Jones snorted a laugh, sounding actually happy for the first time that morning. "Always the perceptive one, Swan. Well, I couldn't just leave Neal free. Not knowing how much the chance of running into him haunted you." Emma glanced towards Jones, turning her body when she saw no lie, no backtracking in his face.

"What happened?" Emma asked cautiously.

"I sent him to jail for life." Emma's heart stopped then lurched forwards again. Neal locked away for good?

"How?" Emma's voice was barely above a whisper but Jones heard.

"I have some friends who occupy a specific job Neal has been known to target and exploit. She helped me out, got into Neal's circle very quickly. Neal, just as expected attempted to do to her what he did to you, only this time after telling a sheriff I'd contacted earlier and disguised. That confession along with the sheriff knowing you're story, which, sorry love I had to tell him, got Neal arrested for human trafficking." Jones turned fully to her. "I just couldn't let him run around without paying for all he'd done. Not after everything. Not after I promised my brother and Milah and well, you as well even though I didn't vocally promise you. I hope you aren't upset."

Emma lunged forward, catching Jones's lips against hers. Jones let out a huff of a surprised breath that quickly turned into a laugh before returning the kiss, hand slipping up into Emma's hair, fingers scratching carefully at the scalp under the band of her hat. Emma sunk against Jones's warm chest when his tongue swept along her bottom lip, tightening her own arms around the back of his neck to hold herself up.

"You know I love you right, Emma?" Jones asked when he broke for air.

"I know," Emma answered, pressing her lips against Jones's. "And I love you."

Jones pulled back in shock. "Truly?"

_"Truly,"_ Emma answered. "It took a rather uncomfortable conversation with Mary Margaret to realize it but it's true."

"And you aren't upset about Neal going to jail?" Jones asked in wonder, still seemingly stuck on the idea of Emma admitting her feelings, especially one's so strong.

Emma grinned. "I think that's a perfect place for him."

"Then I think I know where the perfect place for us is."

"Oh yeah? And where's that?"

"On The Swan, eating cinnamon rolls with Bae and planning our next adventure."

Emma kissed Jones again quickly. "Now it seems that you're the perceptive one with that answer."

"I'm actually quite perceptive most of the time, love," Jones said, pulling her up off the bench. Emma quickly stowed her cutlass as Jones balanced the box of pastries between his hook and hip. She laced her fingers in between the ones he offered her with a small smile, the whole morning still feeling terribly surreal to her. But it was a surreal she could get used to.

"Well then, Mr. Perceptive, you get to explain to the king of all things perceptive why his cinnamon roll is cold."

"That may be harder than sending Neal to jail."

"Get used to it," Emma answered with a grin.

Jones answered with a squeeze of his hand. "Aye, I plan to."


End file.
